


Forgotten

by MsMoon



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, X-Men (Movies)
Genre: General, Other, Romance, Secret Societies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-08-10
Updated: 2013-04-04
Packaged: 2017-11-11 19:52:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 78,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/482285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsMoon/pseuds/MsMoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post X3, Slightly Brotherhood-Centric fic, mostly circulating around a discovery Sabertooth/Victor Creed makes. He may have opened up a pandora's box of forgotten faces with one simple discovery. Are some things are better left forgotten?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Instinct

**Author's Note:**

> Forgotten - Chapter 1 - Instinct
> 
> At this point it seems a little silly to say I don't own them, doesn't it? I mean, we all know that right? Yeah, I don't own any Marvel characters. My own original ones are mine tho, so if you don't recognize them they're probably mine. This means Vivo and Leah :)
> 
> Uhhh, warnings are that they're violence and language. This idea just came to me and I'm kind of running with it so... I'm sure there will be more later on and more warnings to go with it :3 Please do enjoy...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At this point it seems a little silly to say I don't own them, doesn't it? I mean, we all know that right? Yeah, I don't own any Marvel characters. My own original ones are mine tho, so if you don't recognize them they're probably mine. This means Vivo and Leah :)
> 
> Uhhh, warnings are that they're violence and language. This idea just came to me and I'm kind of running with it so... I'm sure there will be more later on and more warnings to go with it :3 Please do enjoy...

**  
**

* * *

He hadn't heard a sound quite like it… leastwise not for a long, long time. It stopped him from getting into the car that was patiently waiting for him at the curb. With his enhanced senses, he knew its origin was probably far away. But it tugged at something.. something he couldn't quite identify. Whatever it was, it ran deep. It wasn't a passing feeling or simple thought, no… this was instinct.

"Tooth?" Mortimer's call from the car was partially irritated but mostly questioning.

He growled and scanned the crowded sidewalk. Where the hell was it coming from? "Something I gotta check out." He muttered.

"Want me to call Myst?" He was referring to their 'Meeting' with Mystique. The cure was nearly out of her system and she was only pretending to be completely human at this point. It wouldn't be long before Magneto figured that out and started reassembling the Brotherhood. While he and Toad had managed to keep themselves busy yet under the radar, there were old debts to be considered. Things to take into account that just hadn't been settled. And as much as he hated to admit it, Erik and Mystique had been among the few he would call friends.

There it was again! He began walking briskly in the direction it had come from. Just like before, it was almost a chirp but too powerful and with a hint of growl. No way a bird could make  _that_  sort of noise. He found the 'source' as he turned the second block. There was a small coffee shop just as you turned the corner… and a girl was kicking the ass of some guy. She was letting him have a few empty swings, anyone with experience could see that much… but ultimately, she was dominating the fight. She landed three blows to his midsection, causing him double over, and then hopping away, her stance at the ready.

He pegged her as younger than she looked. Maybe 18 or 19… but she could easily pass as late 20's maybe even early 30's. She had long wavy hair, sandy to caramel blond. Her facial features were strong and sharp, her eyes almost orangey brown. Her skin was tanned, and he'd wager she was just at or over six feet tall. Probably what helped her to appear so much older was her height and muscle mass. It wasn't that she didn't have feminine curves…it's just that those curves were wrapped up in powerful muscle. But what gave away her status as 'girl' and not 'woman' was the burgundy and gray plaid pleated skirt and button down white shirt she was wearing; a school uniform maybe?

Most of the people around them were trying to push by and be on their way, ignoring the violence on the sidewalk. But many had gathered around in a large circle to watch and give these two room. One girl, he noticed, even had one of those tiny digital camcorders.

The jock she'd been fighting had caught his breath. He took a deep breath, rising to full height to swing at her. She made the noise he'd heard before she moved. He wondered if he heard it only when her attacker was coming at her… She rotated forward on one foot and kicked him squarely in the chest, which sent him flying back onto the brick wall before tumbling to the pavement below. She left her leg in its erect position for a moment, which showed that she was wearing exercise shorts underneath her skirt (smart girl), before practically twirling back into her fighting stance. Her movements were actually graceful… which was out of place with such a large frame. It almost seemed like a dance routine as opposed to martial arts. He wondered where she got her training.

She slowly sauntered forward, and crouching low, grabbed the man's belt buckle. She hauled him up into the air above her as she stood up. He somehow maintained the pathetic fetal position he'd been in while on the ground, but now, as she held him up, his face was just above hers.

"We are  _not_  going to have this conversation again." She said, a growl tinting her words. Now he could see the sharp teeth and elongated incisors and canines at the corners of her mouth…pretty much like his own teeth. Her teeth weren't as big as his, but they looked pretty large in that feminine mouth. They were strange and out of place next to the soft lips painted with a hint of pale pink lipgloss. He wondered momentarily if she practiced ways to keep them less noticeable. "Right?" she growled loudly, snapping him out of his thoughts. The guy nodded swiftly, whimpering slightly as he did so. "Good." She murmured, sounding like a normal girl. So normal it seemed odd. So the growling was something she'd learned to control. She carefully lowered him until he was placed on a bench outside the coffee shop. The crowd seemed to heave a collective sigh of relief.

"You know, when they say that you 'slay the guys' it doesn't actually mean you have to slay them." The comment came from the petite brown haired girl who was holding the camera. The blond bruiser turned to her and smiled, though not as widely as she perhaps could have - no doubt to hide the sharp teeth.

"Tell that to the guys that keep bullying me." She chuckled. The brunette with the camcorder practically danced to the blond's side as the blond walked over to the nook where the door to the coffee shop was and picked up a burgundy vest that matched her skirt. He could've laughed at the sight of them. The blond all height and muscle, and the brunette looking even more tiny than she actually was standing next to her. The blond put her vest on quickly, buttoning the buttons so hastily he almost didn't notice the claw-like nails on her fingers. She bent down and picked up the large pink backpack that was under the vest. "What're the chances my mom wont see this?" she asked, taking the camcorder from the girl and rotating it, so that she and the other girl were now in the shot together.

Her companion pretended to think for a moment. "Hm. Probably slim to nil, considering she watches your channel."

"This doesn't count towards our outing, you know. You still owe me sushi." The blond said.

The other girl chuckled as the two continued walking down the street. "Please! As if I'd renege on sushi!" She said. "You're not the only one who loves it."

"Raw fish. All part of this balanced diet." The blond said into the camera.

"You said it, Vivo's." The brunette cheered, practically skipping beside her friend. He watched their backs as they continued down the sidewalk. Perhaps the brunette was 'skipping' to keep up with the blond's long strides. Either way it seemed annoying.

"Uh, Tooth?" Toad was standing next to him. He hadn't really noticed.

"What?" Sabertooth growled.

"Well…we could still make that meeting." Toad was saying

"In a minute." He grumbled, walking towards the entrance of the coffee house. The sign above it said 'Mei's Coffee & Cakes', but he was less interested in the decor and more interested in the security cameras he'd noticed.

The counter was the first thing you saw when entering the building. It supported the cash register before curving back to a large glass case full of pastries, cookies and pies. Luckily it was almost 4 in the afternoon, and there were only three people sitting at one of the tables near the entrance.

The girl at the counter offered him a sweet smile as he and Toad entered. "Hi, welcome to Mei's." She said sweetly.

"Well, hello yourself." Mortimer said, leaning on the counter and offering her a smile in return. Victor sighed, shaking his head slightly. Mortimer may have been twice this girl's age, and he was flirting with her? That, or he just wanted to freak her out. The Toad's smile wasn't fearsome like Sabertooth's, but his little stubby teeth were unnerving.

Oddly enough, the blond girl at the counter only smiled back at him. If she was uncomfortable or frightened she was hiding it well. He couldn't smell fear on her at all. Her ice-blue eyes even twinkled back at them. She brushed a white-blond curl away from her face before continuing. "What can I get for you?" Mortimer's eyebrows rose in slight surprise. He had expected her to be bothered by him. Even Victor was a little surprised she was handling the two more-than-obvious Mutants in front of her so well.

"You have security cameras outside for the sidewalk." Victor spoke before Mortimer could. "Do they work?"

She blinked at him. "Yes, of course." She said.

"Can I get a copy of the feed?" He asked.

She cocked her head to the side. "That's an unusual request." She announced. "It's not something I can do, but I can get my manager out here for you."

"I'd be much obliged." Victor said. This was the all-business side of him, the part that helped to balance out Sabertooth, the animal. The girl nodded and turned to go back through the door leading to the kitchen. After a few minutes she was back, a curvy brunette right behind her. The woman's eyes landed on him and widened momentarily before she managed to control her face. Victor almost smiled at her reaction. Almost because the scent she'd given off wasn't quite fear. It was similar, but not the same. She was startled, but not frightened by him. That… was odd.

"How can I help you, gentlemen?" She asked, and Mortimer snorted to himself.

"We just observed a fight right outside your shop. I was hoping to get the feed from your surveillance cameras to confirm the identity of the attackers."

"Was someone fighting with Vivo's again?" This question came from the girl who'd been at the counter.

"Vivo's?" Mortimer asked, clearly baffled by the name.

She nodded, her curls bouncing slightly. "Vivianne's always being bullied—" she started to say.

"Molly." The tone in her manager's voice was as firm as a mother scolding a rebellious child. "Go wipe down the tables."

'Molly' stared at her manager for a moment, her blue eyes wide and shocked. She turned them to Victor and Mortimer with a blush of embarrassment before nodding and softly murmuring. "Yes, Ma'am."

Once Molly had left them, Mortimer spoke up. "I'm not sure that was entirely necessary." He grumbled.

"Are you with the police or some legal offices?" The manager asked, crossing her arms tightly.

"No." Victor said.

"FBI? CIA?" she continued, her hazel eyes burning a hole through him.

"Absolutely not." Victor said almost chuckling.

"SHIELD?" He froze slightly, and her eyes narrowed at him. "You're with SHIELD?"

"No…" Victor murmured. "Not for a very long time." She nodded slowly.

"And if you were with Hydra, you wouldn't be  _asking_  for the surveillance." She said, almost to herself. Victor wondered who this woman was to be so well informed about so many 'secret' organizations. She spoke before he could ask. "And for what reason should I give you what you're asking for?" she said shrewdly. "You're not with any government agency, you obviously don't have a warrant, you're not with any system of authority, and you're asking for something that will violate certain constitutional rights I shouldn't have to name. I'm not trying to be rude, but I have no reason to accommodate you. Hell, I don't even know who you are."

"Victor Creed, President and CEO of Creed Industries."

"Well, Mr. Greed."

"Creed." He growled.

"Mr. Creed." She said with a false smile before continuing. "Unless you're suddenly interested in investing in a chain of coffee houses, I really can't imagine that we have much to discuss." His name and company were well known, but they hadn't impressed her in the slightest.

"You know the girl I'm talkin' about, don't you?" Victor asked, holding onto his composure with both clawed hands.

"Do  _you_  know the girl you're talkin' about?" She asked.

"Not yet." He said, this time giving her a false smile. And it was her turn to keep her composure.

"This conversation is over." She said at last, turning to walk into the back. "See yourselves out,  _Gentlemen_." She called over her shoulder, using heavy sarcasm on 'gentlemen'.

"That was a big friggin waste of time." Mortimer said. "I dunno what you were tryin' to accomplish, mate, but I'm guessin' we're not gonna have much luck here." He sighed. "We can still make it to that meeting."

"One more minute." Victor said turning to leave the shop.

The jock that the girl - Vivianne - had been fighting was just getting himself into a standing position. Victor put a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Sit down." He growled.

"Aw man, common." The guy whined, wincing as he sat down.

"Do you know the girl who kicked your ass just now?" Victor asked.

"Vivianne Driscol? Yeah, of course. She's the freakin' BMOC." He spat.

"How can a chick be the big man on campus?" Mortimer asked.

"Not 'Man'. 'Mutant'." The guy corrected. "Big  _Mutant_  on Campus." He snorted. "Even if it weren't for her stupid vlog, everyone on campus would know her. Freakin track and field star. Not to mention self-proclaimed campus police."

"Vlog?" Victor asked, his lip curling slightly. The guy swallowed hard at the sight of his teeth. Good.

"Yeah… video log, man." The guy muttered. "She's got a channel up on YouTube where she bitches and moans about her life."

"Why were you fighting with her anyway?" Mortimer asked.

"She called my girl a snobby whore in her last video." The guy said hotly.

"Is she?" Victor asked.

"Hey, fuck you, man." Victor smiled, putting more pressure on the guy's shoulder and making him nearly cry out in pain. "Alright, alright!" He said, and Victor eased up a bit.

Victor dropped his voice low and rumbly. "Listen. You're going to tell me everything I need to know about that girl. And then you and I will never have to have another conversation again." He said. "Right?"

The guy nodded, his eyes wide. Ah, now there was the smell of fear.

* * *

"You're late." Mystique grumbled, not bothering to rise from the table she was seated at.

"Yeah. We encountered an…incident… on the way." Victor said, not bothering to elaborate.

"What kind of 'incident'?" Mystique questioned, not about to let him slide out of this one. She'd gone through a lot of trouble to make sure the humans who were 'following up' with her 'rehab' wouldn't know she was meeting with her old comrades. If Toad and Sabertooth thought they were going to let her sit and squirm for nothing, they were wrong.

"Mutant girl taking care of business on the sidewalk." Mortimer said, earning a glare from Victor. "What?" he asked, noticing said glare.

"A street walker?" Mystique asked.

"Gawd no." Victor grumbled. "Just a school kid. A guy had been pushing her too hard and she pushed back. He was not prepared, let me tell you."

"Interesting." Mystique said, and indeed she was interested. "But not nearly enough to distract you." She continued.

"She's feral, like him."

"Mortimer, so help me." Victor growled.

"What?" Mortimer asked, slightly offended. "She was."

"Oh, I see. You don't want me to know about this feral mutant girl." Mystique said with a smirk. "Has the mighty Sabertooth found a mate?" she cooed.

"What the—Do you hear yerself?" He asked, more than irked at her inference. "Didn't ya hear me say she's a school kid? What do I want with a kid?"

"Uh, Mate, everyone's a kid compared to you." Mortimer reminded.

"If we weren't in a sophisticated restaurant, I would smack those ugly teeth right outta yer mouth." Victor growled, barely managing to keep his hold on Sabertooth. For some reason the animal  _had_  taken an interest in the girl, but it wasn't what Mystique had hinted at. "I don't do girls, I do women."

"She looked fairly mature to me." Mortimer reminded.

"She's still a teenager." Victor grumbled. He glared at Mystique, who up until this point was watching the two of them argue with some satisfaction. "Did you want something?" He asked her. "Other than to piss me off?"

Her smile straightened itself slightly. "Have either of you heard from Magneto?" she asked quietly.

"Not as of yet." Mortimer said and Victor only nodded.

"He hasn't contacted me either." Mystique said, irritation brimming under her well manicured facade.

"You still shacked up with the fire bug?" Victor asked.

"We are not 'shacked up'." She said, making a show of eyeing the silverware.

"You know what I meant."

"Yes. We are still roommates."

"Dunno why he puts up with your crap."

"Because I pay half the rent, and there are few who would put up with  _his_  crap."

"Nice."

"Besides, we expected to hear from our fearless leader." She grumbled. "I had a feeling he might not want to contact me, considering how we last parted…" she sighed. "But he would most certainly contact Pyro."

"You know that ain't your fault, right?" Mortimer asked. "You had to do what you had to do in order to survive. If you hadn't entered the rehab program, your not-so-blue ass woulda been hauled into jail, and then you wouldn't've been able to rejoin the Brotherhood whenever you got your powers back."

After recovering from being struck by lightning, Mortimer had had enough of 'freedom fighting'. Mostly, it was depression from failing. He'd returned to something safer and less unpredictable - wetwork. He preferred for most people to believe he was dead, not too unlike Victor. Being off the radar had its advantages. Still… doing nothing while Erik and Myst were constantly risking their lives for their beliefs? That smarted a little more than the lighting had.

Mystique smiled. "I know."

"Erik knows that too…" Victor murmured.

Mystique looked doubtful. "I hope so."

"He ain't the only one that has a right to be miffed." Mortimer grumbled. "I can't believe he left you like that."

"Without my powers I would've been little more than a liability—" Mystique began.

"That ain't what I'm talkin' about."

"Toad's right, Myst." Victor said. "He could've kept you with him long enough to make sure you were safe before he left on his crusade."

Mystique was grinding her molars slightly. "I intend to have a long conversation with him whenever I can…I'm fairly certain that I can keep up my end of the conversation." Her eyes shinned with humor before she continued. "Which is probably why the old man has put off contacting me for so long."

Victor chuckled.

"I wouldn't want to face any woman scorned, much less you." Mortimer said with a smirk.

Mystique smiled. "Speaking of 'any woman', we do have a third roommate. And she is amazing."

"She, huh?" Victor said. "What's she do?"

Mystique nodded. "It's not what she does, at least it's not her abilities, that are amazing. It's the fact that she handles me and Pyro so well, while she manages to cook and keep house for us."

"That  _is_  amazing." Mortimer said, pretending to be in awe of such a task.

Mystique chuckled. "Now I've told you my news, why don't you tell me about this mutant you discovered?"

Victor shook his head. "Not a chance."

Mystique's eyebrows rose in interest. "What makes her so special?"

Victor sighed. "She was making this noise… I think it was like…a call…." He shook his head. "I heard her two blocks away, and it was something that hit my instincts so hard, I couldn't ignore it."

"He made a bee line for her like he was on a hunt." Mortimer agreed.

"I don't know if there is anything special about her. Maybe it's just that we're both similar animals…" He looked to Mystique. "Something in me wants to protect her.. Fiercely. I aim ta find out why."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well? Like? Hate? Did I make mistakes or do a good job? Leave me a comment :) Because it's just a nice thing to do...
> 
> Much love,
> 
> Peace Out,
> 
> MsMoon


	2. Mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I don't own Marvel or its characters. I do own Vivo and her family
> 
> If there are to be any warnings, they'd be violence and language.
> 
> :3 Please do enjoy...

 

Victor strolled out of the elevator and into the top floor of his offices briskly. The dinner with Mortimer and Mystique had served as a reminder of why he'd joined the Brotherhood in the first place. He liked their company - when they weren't being impossible. Even then, he could look back and laugh at their antics. Still, he didn't want to get drawn back into that life. He was more than content watching over his business. Sure, he took a job here and there when it suited him (and when the price was right), but over-all he had everything he needed right here. It was good to be the boss. He'd break away every month or so to hunt. It satisfied the animal in him so that Sabertooth never took over. He had accepted a long time ago that violence and blood lust were a part of him as much if not more so than his fangs and claws. Trying to quell or escape that had never been an option. Embracing it hadn't exactly worked in his favor either. He turned into a monster when he let the animal run wild. After Jimmy had left him, he struggled with channeling the animal. He'd be lying if he said joining the Brotherhood and allowing Magneto to 'further evolve' him was a step forward. But somewhere between making sure Toad's ass didn't drown and laying low, he'd managed to find his stride.

"Maryann, did you find what I asked for?" He asked before entering his office.

His secretary nodded and handed him a tablet. The last thing in the world he'd thought he would want was an iPad, but damn if the thing wasn't well made. As long as he kept his claws in, he could actually use the touch screen, and it was a handy tool around the office.

"I searched the terms you gave me, and I think I found what you're looking for, Sir." Maryann said simply, not bothering to look up from her typing. She was focused like that.

"Good." He said, tucking the tablet under his elbow with his newspaper. "Do I have any appointments today?"

"Just your 3 o'clock, Sir." She said.

"Good." He said, finally entering his office and shutting the door behind him. He sat down and took a sip of his coffee before actually looking at the web page on the tablet.

It was a YouTube channel, largely red with yellow and white accents. The banner on the channel read "Make it Rare", with the M having fangs and a steak fork over the 'rare'. He chuckled at that. He scanned over the number of uploads - 89, geezus. The girl had nearly 200 subscribers but each video had well over a thousand views. The featured video was called 'Hello - What You Should Know'. It was already fully loaded, so he hit set the tablet down on his desk and hit play.

At first the video only showed a girl's bedroom with a bed, but then the girl he'd seen only the other day rolled on an office chair in frame from the left and continued rolling right out of frame. The scene was cut and jumped to her in the right middle frame of the camera.

"Bonjour." She said. Then it was cut and she appeared in the right of the frame. "Ohayo!" and another jump cut to the right, "Hhhhola."

She was in the center again after another jump cut. "I'm Vivo's, at least that's the name I'm giving you, and you've found my YouTube channel." She said with a smile. "Not sure how you found 'Make it Rare', but this video should tell you everything you need to know about me." She gave a big smile, not bothering to hide her fangs."I'm a mutant." She said it so simply, as if she were saying her zodiac sign. "And I live with my mom in New York. I like to hunt and I take mixed martial arts, but I also love dancing and music. I've always wanted to be musically talented, but I ended up taking piano lessons because the instrument that I originally wanted to learn was something…." She took a deep breath and heaved a heavy sigh before continuing. "That I just wasn't compatible with." She said looking chagrin.

Jump cut to the right. She held a guitar in her hands, but when she tried to play it, her claws cut through the strings. She looked down at the guitar, eyed her fingers dubiously, and then back at the camera before sighing. "Crap." She muttered. He chuckled at her dry tone and expression.

Another jump cut to the left. "I'm an only child, at least by my Mom, and since I live with her, that's really the only side that matters."

Jump cut back to the center. "I adore my mother, and I'd say she's the most important person in my life. I'm really close to all my family…. well, on her side that is."

Jump cut to the right and there was a skeptical look on her face. "I know about my dad, and he's who I take after… genetically."

Jump cut back to the center. "Mom says that she and Dad loved each other very much, but he left because he was a mutant, and he didn't want her to get hurt because of him." She shrugged. "I'm fairly certain he doesn't even know I exist… which I have very mixed feelings about."

Jump cut to the left. "I know that Mom's not being entirely truthful about all of what she tells me about my dad." She said tapping her nose. "But I'm just not sure which parts are right and which parts are not…"

Jump cut to the right. "My Mom's pretty bad ass, and my Dad's in a league of his own too. Mom was very diligent in my training, and making sure I could handle anything life threw at me." He snorted softly at the thought of how she handle what life threw at her in the way of bullies just the other day. He figured her mother was, for the most part, successful in whatever training she'd made the girl take. "A part of me really wishes I could meet my dad… but another part's really worried that I won't measure up."

Jump cut to the left. "So things stay the same…" she looked pensive for a moment. "Until they change…"

Jump cut back to the center. "Really, that's all that I can think of off the top of my head. I'm a normal 14 year-old girl," 14? That was it? She looked so much older… "I go to school, I have petty problems, I like guys, I have bffs, enemies, thoughts and opinions, etcetera." She shrugged. "I just happen to be a mutant."

Jump cut to the left. "If you're going to be a bigot and just leave hate comments, then I'll delete them."

Jump cut to the right. "I don't believe in feeding the trolls…" she said, menacingly glaring at the screen.

Back to the center. "If by some slim chance you're cool with the things I've said, then it's great to meet you." She said, swiveling slightly in her chair and her arms flinging wide with a big smile. "If you have anything constructive to say—"

A jump cut to the left interrupted. "Praise or criticism."

And back to the center. "Leave comments in the vogalie-do." She looked both ways before leaning close and whispering. "That's what I call the comment section." She said with a smile.

Jump cut to the right. "Other than that, I think that's a good solid beginning for now."

Jump cut to the right. "I'll talk to you guys later on another rare occasion."

Jump cut to the center. "Peace out!" she said before the screen faded to black with the 'Make it Rare' banner fading onto the black before the video stopped. It was just under three minutes.

Victor couldn't help but chuckle. She had spunk, he'd give her that. He clicked on the link to show all her videos and scrolled down. The earliest and the first was the video he'd just watched. He clicked on the second video and hit pause automatically so that the video could load. The second video was titled 'Go Looking for a Fox and You Might Find a Tiger'.

Whatever the video might be about, the first image was of a very ample backside, sticking out from the open door of a refrigerator. It was clad in tight black pants, and the bearer of it was obviously a woman…. He could honestly say the view was nice. He hit play and watched as the backside moved rhythmically from side to side, and a voice - Vivo's - from off camera was singing 'Looking for a Fox'. When she got to the part of the song where she howled, another voice yelled. "When I turn around that camera better not be on me!"

The camera swiveled almost violently, zoomed in on a clavicle before zooming out to the whole picture, Vivo's upper torso as she lay back on a sofa. "Uh no…no of course not." She said making a face. "No, I'm just filming myself signing at you… like a freak."

"Only a freak would cat-call their own mother." The voice that had been yelling before said.

Vivo looked into the camera, her face a mix of worry and humor. "Right." The scene ended, cutting to her walking on the street. Her mother must have been on her right side, because she was holding the camera in her right hand and there was no one walking on her left side.

"Ok!" She said. "We are on our way to Grandfather's 'gym'." She said, using her remaining hand to make air quotes when she said gym.

"People are staring at you." he heard someone murmuring.

"People are always staring at me."

"This is true."

"They were staring at me long before I ever started this vlog thing." Vivo seemed largely unconcerned. "People can go f—." There was a loud censor beep over what she was saying along with a surprised smiley face over her mouth. "Themselves."

"I'm pretty sure they are the only ones who will f—." Another censor beep. "Themselves."

Vivo laughed, and Victor chuckled too. Obviously cussing didn't bother her mother.

The scene was cut and switched again to what Victor assumed was the inside of a gym. The walls and floor were covered with thick padding, blue on the floor and white on the walls.

"At Grandfather's gym. This is my cousin, Leah." The camera turned onto the petite brunette he'd seen with her the other day. "Say 'hi', Leah."

"'Ello!" the smaller girl cheered, and Vivo seconded it with her own 'ello'.

"We're both waiting to see what kind of torture Grandfather has lined up for us today." Vivo informed the camera. "Because all of his training has been torture, hasn't it?" she asked, swiveling the camera back to Leah.

"Pretty much." Leah said with a nod. "I mean, when we were like… what? Seven?"

"Yeah."

"It wasn't so bad then. Just your basic kids gymnastics."

"Then when we turned eight?"

"Holy cow." There was a censor beep over Leah's words. "sh— got real, son."

Vivo laughed. "I'm so glad you told me to expect it."

"I know, I was the ginny pig that they started this sh— on." Leah chuckled.

"Leah's actually two years older than I am." Vivo said into the camera.

"Yeah. So, I gave my girl a heads up on her birthday." Leah said smiling.

There was another cut and scene change. This one to Vivo punching a large punching bag. Her hair had been french braided up to the nape of her neck and then tied up in a messy bun. Someone just out of frame was holding the punching bag. Vivo placed a 1-2 punch onto the bag.

"Harder!" it was her mother's voice.

She hit it again.

"Again!" her mother again. Vivo's face went from focused to angry. She hit the bag with a 1-2 punch before rearing back and kicked out with both legs. The kick was hard enough to dislodge the anchor from the ceiling beam that the bag was chained to, and everyone stepped away from the jerking bag to see if it would fall.

"We'll need to check that before you can continue." A man was saying.

"Good kick." Her mother's voice said, as Vivo picked herself up off the floor.

"Yeah?" Vivo asked, somewhat surprised.

"Yeah." The camera zoomed out slightly from it's honed position on Vivo's face. It was then that Victor noticed her eyes were changing. They had been that same orangey brown he'd noted yesterday, but they were beginning to darken to a rich dark brown. "We just need to get you to land on your feet after that kick, and we'll be set." The camera zoomed out again, showing Vivo's mother, and Victor couldn't breathe for a moment. "That's my widdle tiger kitten!" her mother cheered as she hugged Vivo to her.

"Eww! Mom! You're sweaty!" Vivo shrieked.

"You're sweaty too!" her mother argued still smiling, and still wrestling the girl who was struggling against her chest. Vivo laughed loudly as she struggled to get away.

Victor paused the video, trying to regain his breath. Serus…. The girl's mother was Serus? His mind raced as he looked at the paused image of mother and daughter on the screen. Time had been kind to Serus….she didn't look much older than when he'd last seen her… And yet, she did seem older. Motherhood'll do that to you… How long had it been since he'd known her? His stomach began to tighten as he remembered. It had been nearly 15 years ago.

 _'I'm a normal 14 year-old girl.'_  She had said. He swallowed thickly. That feeling yesterday, the one he couldn't put a finger on, it was intensifying by the second. He had wondered what was so interesting about this girl. He had seen other ferals before, but for some reason…this one pulled at him.

He wanted to talk to Serus… He wanted to know… aw hell, he practically knew already. He put a hand over his face. He knew. He just knew. After a long moment, he took a deep breath and sighed. What time was it? He looked over at the clock, relieved to find out it was only 10. He had a meeting at 3, but until then he had all the time in the world to get his bearing and get the earth back under his feet. He let out another deep breath and scrolled down the channel page to her profile. There were links to other things… FaceBook, Twitter and something called a VYou. He opened all the other links in new tabs before returning to her channel and scanning the videos there. Most of the videos were three to five minutes long… only one, titled 'Storm on the Waves' was just under eight minutes.

He clicked that one and let it load for a minute before pressing play. Vivo was seated at a large piano. Her right hand rested on the keys and began a rhythmic patter that continued to repeat itself, never straying from the same notes and rhythm over and over. Her left hand waited and waited before her fingers beat a rapid set of higher notes. The right hand, on the lower notes, sounded as rhythmic as waves, while the other hand on the high notes hit furiously before bating out and stopping altogether only to start up again.  _'Rain and waves.'_ he thought momentarily. The notes were water, each hand flowed like a type of water. The left hand took variations, but the right never faltered from it's pattern. Finally, the right hand slowed and then the melody came to a stop. It was only when a loud round of applause was heard that Victor realized that she was in a fair pink dress, her hair braided into two pleats on either side of her head to keep it out of her face while the rest cascaded down her back. She stood and curtsied and the scene ended.

The view cut to Vivo in the same dress and hair, with a plate in her hands, a somewhat sour expression on her face. "So, Vivo, did you enjoy your recital?" it was Leah's voice. Vivo's expression changed to happy but grumpy.

"Ah gawd." She groaned. "Can't a girl eat in peace."

Leah laughed. "What have you got there?"

"Oh some lasagna and some sausage and chicken." Vivo held up drumstick. "The chicken is  _awesome_."

"Oh, here comes Mama!" Leah cheered as Serus walked over and hugged Vivo.

"Ah, my baby." She crooned. "You did amazing!" she said after placing a kiss on Vivo's temple.

"I've got magic hands!" Vivo said happily.

Serus smiled. "Just like you father."

Vivo stopped chewing and made a face, but her eyes were shining with laughter. "I'm  _eating_  here."

"So was he…"

"Omigod!" Vivo shouted in dismay, but still it was obvious that she was laughing.

"Lalalalala! Can't hear you!" Leah said before the video stopped.

Victor chuckled. Obviously Serus's relationship with Vivo was very open. He felt a knot form in his stomach… it was probably better that she'd raised her alone. He scrolled down to the bottom and decided to watch the videos in order. Starting with the first to the video they'd filmed just yesterday took almost 2 hours to get through half.

He was about to click on a video when his cell phone went off. The ringtone was a dull sound, one of the few that didn't irritated his enhanced hearing. 1 New Message flashed on the screen and he sighed. He hated texting. Mostly because his claws and the tiny buttons on the phone weren't easily compatible. He pressed the 'read' option.

'Caught a scent?'

The sender was unknown. Instead of replying he dialed the number.

"Who is this?" he asked gruffly when they picked up.

"You can't tell?" was the equally gruff reply. The hair on the nape of his neck stood on end, and all he could do for a minute was breath properly.

"Serus?" He asked carefully.

"You caught a whiff, didn't you?"

"What are you—"

"Sushi and/or Bust." She said cryptically. He looked to the tablet. The last video, the one that had been uploaded yesterday, was titled Sushi and/or Bust. "Skip to 2:49." He did as she asked and observing the fight, he noticed that was when he and Toad had moved into the crowd. They were near the back of the throng of people, but considering how tall he was, it wasn't too difficult to spot him. "You caught a scent."

Victor remembered Leah's words from yesterday when Vivo had asked what the chances were of keeping the fight from her mother,  _"Probably slim to nil, considering she watches your channel"_. Serus had seen him in the video…

"Serus… I." What could he say? What did he want to say? What did she want him to say? He ground his teeth together. He hated this emotional crap. "I…heard a sound that she was making."

"The chirp?"

"Yeah." He sighed, relieved that she understood.

"She did that a lot when she was very young." There was a sigh on the other end. "I don't think she even realizes that she makes it still. When she was a baby, she'd make that noise when she wanted my attention or when she was hurt…and I'd always come for her."

Finally, the part of his brain that had been nagging him caught up to him. "How did you get this number?" he asked.

There was a soft chuckle on the other end. "Oh, Victor." She murmured. "I've always had your number."

He swallowed, though not audibly. Serus had been there… at a time when he'd been farthest from human as he could be. It'd been many years after he'd parted ways with Jimmy, and the animal had taken over. Without someone _there_  he had no reason to be human… She'd somehow managed to knock him on his ass after he'd stampeded his way into her camp site… he was still fuzzy on the details, but somehow… she'd managed to make him come back to himself. And then…

"She's mine… isn't sh—"

"Don't ask stupid questions, Victor. You'll  _insult_  me."

Victor closed his eyes and nodded. He chuckled. "I'm nodding." He informed.

"I know."

"…What?"

"I said, I know." He blinked. How could she know? "Go over to her VYou account and you can ask her questions. It's a fairly new site, but she likes it. She only gets a couple decent questions now and then." Her tone had lost some of its hostile edge. She wasn't angry at him then? That was good…

"Is that what that is?" he said, clicking on the tab he'd opened earlier.

"It's like Formspring and YouTube had a baby." Serus said.

"What?"

"Never mind." She sighed heavily. "I worked hard… over 14 years, my single focus was to make sure she stayed well away from anything resembling your world." She informed. She wasn't being malicious and she wasn't angry. "No Brotherhood. No X-men. No Government. No one knew her or of her. Because if they did… well, that's just no way for a child to grow up." She chuckled softly. "And then, out on the streets, who walks right up into her vlog?"

"Serus.. I'm—"

"Don't say you're sorry if you're not. And having her  _isn't_  something to be sorry about." The tone she was using was dangerous. He knew it was time to play it safe.

"I'm not sorry for her… I'm sorry I left." At the time.. He felt like it was the right thing. They had been together for months, and he had learned to curb the animal… not that she minded the animal. Being with her…it was beyond contentment. Almost happiness. But it unnerved him. And so… he'd just left. He didn't say anything. He didn't leave a note or a goodbye… Just left.

He heard Serus swallow hard on the other end of the phone before her soft reply came. "Me too." She said at last. There was a heavy pause between them before she cleared her throat and spoke again. "I have to go. Call me later… if you want to talk."

He nodded. He took a breath to say something, but then he wasn't sure what to say. All of this was so fresh and he had no idea where it fit into his life. Or if he had any right  _to_  fit into theirs.

"Oh, Victor?" she said, gaining his attention.

"Yes?" he asked, wishing he didn't sound so damn hopeful.

"Make sure to get another cup of coffee, Love. You haven't touched yours since you sat down." And then the line went dead. He looked from the 'Call Ended' status on his cell to the cold cup of coffee and finally to the large windows that flanked his office.

"Damn."

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, how was chapter 2? Especially now that you sort-of-kind-of know where this story is heading? Trust me there's a lot more than what's going on right now, but that's not to be gotten to until it's time to get to it :) Either way, leave me some comments in the vogalie-do x3
> 
> Much Love,
> 
> Peace Out,
> 
> MsMoon


	3. Lost & Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oi vey, but the past week has been a long one. My family planned an impromptu 12 hour trip due to a funeral, and I feel like I've been trying to catch up ever since then. This chapter has actually been mostly written for a while, but I'm a proof-reading nazi :| And thus is my excuse for no recent updates. Yaya yaya :)
> 
> It should go without saying that I don't own them. Well, most of them. Telissa is mine. As is Rossco's restaurant :3 The ones that belong to Marvel, belong to Marvel.

"You're punctual and you're buying me dinner…" Mystique said, eyeing Victor carefully. "I'm beginning to wonder what's gone wrong."

"You make me sound like—" He was going to say 'an animal' but thought better of it after a moment. He debated revising to 'monster' but didn't really like that idea much either.

Mystique looked him over critically. He had seemed distracted when he'd picked her up from work. She'd suspected something was going on when he called and asked if she had plans for lunch. She couldn't very well be spotted with him two days in a row, but he'd waved that off as a petty excuse. Thus, a compromise was struck, and plans for dinner were set. And he'd actually come to pick her up. That was saying something. And then on top of that, he brought her to Rossco's. As far as restaurants went, it was a blend of chic and old world Moroccan. The tables and booths were put into nooks in the walls, some of which had doors that closed allowing for privacy. Whatever he had to say was something he wanted to keep between them.

"You look like you've inherited quite a problem." Mystique said, noting his struggle.

"Funny you should say it like that." He said, reaching for his brief case. She had wondered if this was business or pleasure, especially after seeing him with that briefcase. She couldn't help but wonder what type of business he would want to consult  _her_  on. "You remember that girl I told you about yesterday?"

"The one you found fighting on the sidewalk? Yes."

He pulled out a tablet and was fiddling with it. When he had opened the appropriate file he handed it to her. "This is her."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise. This is what he wanted to talk to her about? She took the tablet and looked at the girl. Beautiful blond hair, brown eyes, nice skin, pretty face for the most part. Even by human standards. As feral mutants went she wasn't really impressed.

"Hit the next button." He said, as if anticipating her thoughts.

She looked to him and did so, and her eyes widened. Now  _this_  was a feral girl… Her teeth looked enormous… her claws weren't as dark as Sabertooth's. They went from a pale flesh color (which was lighter than the girl's own flesh color) to a creamy white. But it was her eyes that stood out. They were solid black. And the wavy hair that seemed to billow out and around her…

"Victor…why are you showing me this?" Mystique asked, suddenly suspicious.

Victor sighed, throwing back another shot. "She's mine." He murmured.

Mystique stared at him squarely. "You're certain?"

"Positive. Her mother…" he shook his head, as if it were impossible otherwise. "She wouldn't lie to me."

"Oh no. It's not like claiming the child is yours would gain her anything." Mystique replied sarcastically.

Victor sighed. "She didn't come to me, remember? Besides… Vivianne was born nine months after I left her mother."

"Vivianne? Her name? …It's pretty." Mystique said almost as an aside. "Is the 'mother' a mutant?"

"Not to my knowledge." He said shaking his head. "She's very strong for a human woman, but during the time we were together, I didn't see anything that lent itself ta mutation."

Mystique put the tablet down on the table and sighed. "Oh, Tooth." She said shaking her head, and taking a shot herself.

"You say it like it's horrible."

"It's not horrible it's just… difficult." Mystique corrected. "A mutant child, a  _feral_  mutant child with a non-mutant mother?" Mystique shook her head again.

"She seems to be doing fairly well…"

"How do you know?" Mystique asked, mystified.

"She has a YouTube channel and a bunch of other…stuff." Victor said. "I spent most of the day doing research on her." He eyed Mystique. "She's 14, soon to be 15. Her mother told her that her father was a feral mutant like she is, and he was afraid that he would bring danger to tha both of them. She told her… that I left ta protect them because I loved them."

"What class is she?" Mystique asked after digesting that. She could see him beginning to fray slightly... she needed to focus on facts that they could both deal with. Leaving children behind, no matter what the reasons, was never easy. No one understood that more than her.

"High. Her mother and I … we talked last night over the phone. She said she was born with claws, which was damn difficult." Mystique nodded her face almost comical. A child born with claws wasn't just bad for the mother it was bad for the child. If the baby girl tried to scratch herself, she would usually end up hurting herself. "She said that everything just got stronger and stronger as she got older. The teeth… she said once her baby teeth fell out, those teeth started growing in. Her hearing, sense of smell, and eyesight has always been very keen."

"And her sense of touch?"

"Acute. She's had a hard time of it adjusting to denim, but she's nothing if not adaptable."

"What type of training has she had?"

"Survival training. Hunting, Fighting — hand to hand as well as with weapons." He sighed. "She usually has to break away to go hunting once every three months or so."

"And the mother is capable of doing all this for her?" Mystique asked, still somewhat shocked.

"Her mother's the one that sets everything up." Victor said.

Mystique sat and thought on that for a moment before nodding. She had to admit… that was impressive. Most human mothers of mutants either over-protected or abused their children. It wasn't often you found one that managed to  _be_  a proper mother, taking in all of the child's needs and somehow managing to meet them… or at least see that they were somehow met.

"Blood lust?"

Victor nodded. "S'what the hunt's are for." He sighed. "She's not just into fighting, she's taken up dance and piano." He rested his head in one of his hands. "Ser says that it helps her ta learn ta focus."

" _You_ …have inherited  _quite_  a problem." Mystique said.

"M'not liking the word 'problem' ta describe this. S'more like a situation, really."

"Either way."

"I just…" he shook his head. "I had to talk to someone." He said.

"And you choose me?" She asked, somewhat touched.

He smirked. "Don't get me wrong, you can be a bitch." She smiled smugly at him. "But…well…" there had been a time when it was Mystique that had helped to sooth the animal in him.

"That was a long time ago, Victor." Somehow sensing where his mind had gone.

He sighed. "Feels like a lifetime ago." She nodded. "And it's a girl… and you're a girl." He said.

Mystique laughed. "How nice that you remember."

"It's not like… I mean, hell. I'm not ashamed of her. It's just… her mother's done a damn good job of keeping everything and everyone that could hurt her away. The X-men. The Brotherhood. The Government. Me."

"Vcitor… don't say that." Mystique murmured.

He chuckled. "Considering my own father, I can't imagine I'd be a very good one."

"From what you've told me of the girl and her mother, it seems like… they've just been doing what they can with what they have." Mystique said. "If you  _had_  been there…I'm sure they would've been happy to have you… but."

"But I wasn't there." He said, messaging the bridge of his nose. He shook his head.

"Do you want to be there?" She was surprised when he nodded. He didn't hesitate or think about it. He just nodded. "Then, I'm thinking you should be having more talks with her mother." He nodded.

"So…" he began. "Was this worth dinner with me?"

She smirked. "Absolutely. But I think you should kick off being a proud father and get the family size to go."

"What?" he asked.

"We can take it back to my place and celebrate with Pyro and Telissa."

"Who's Telissa?"

"Our roommate."

* * *

He  _hated_  not being able to jump. It was his nature, and he hated anything that got in the way of that. He especially hated when whatever was in the way caused pain. Like bullets. Mortimer had managed a few sloppy leaps, but the landings had been more than rough. Running wasn't impossible…the pain was manageable, especially with the onset of adrenaline. But he knew he wouldn't be able to do much of anything if he tried jumping again. The only thing that sucked more than having to run through the pain was the fact that the morons who'd shot him were still chasing him. There was plenty of room between them and him, but hell if he could stop before he was well and truly safe from them.

Mystique's place was near here.. He just hoped she was home. Three floors up, apartment fifteen. He pounded on the door.

"Myst, you there? Open up!" he called through the door. He heard movement inside and sighed in relief. The door opened and he took a breath to explain but stopped when he was met with a set of eyes he'd never seen before. "Uh…Myst?"

The lady at the door blinked and shook her head.

"Sorry." He murmured, beginning to draw away. He was so sure Myst had said number 15 on the third floor…

The girl grabbed his wrist and pulled him inside. Not really a small feat, but he was injured. He'd have to take some comfort in that.

"Lady, what the hell are you—" she placed her fingers against his lips.

"Shh." She said, pushing him further into the room and closing the door. She sat him in a stool by her kitchen countertop and turned her back to him. He stared at her in shock as she stared at the door. Long moments passed before the sounds of his pursuers passed by the door. This time it was her turn to sigh in relief.

"Uh..thanks." He said awkwardly.

She nodded and kneeled down in front of him. He jumped, startled when her hands wrapped around his knee.

"What the fu—"

"Language." She murmured, looking up at him. "Mortimer, right?" he blinked and nodded. "I need you to relax as much as you can. This won't hurt." Her hands slowly moved up from his knee to his mid thigh. His mouth dropped open as he gripped the side of the counter.

Relax? What? What was relax? What  _was_  that? Hell, when was the last time a woman had touched him? A while. Much less on her own, without being paid to do it?… A long long while. It had started to make him sick that he had to pay, and he just grew out of it. But this… she was on her knees, for God's sake.

"Mortimer. Relax." Her voice was soothing. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Trying."

She nodded. "Don't fight me on this." She instructed and his eyebrows came together in confusion.

"…Oh… no. Wouldn't dream of it." He murmured. She smiled, and a soft light engulfed her hands. His eyes widened. "H-hey, what are you…"

"Relax. I need to get the bullet out and stop the bleeding. The artery isn't damaged, which is very  _very_  lucky."

"O-oh… right." He had to look away as he regained his composure… or tried to. It was still a picture he wasn't used to. Her chin was lightly grazing the inside of his knee while her hands gently caressed the area near the bullet hole. Either she was being careful not to hurt him, or she just had the hands of a care taker. He felt something cold touching around the wound and managed not to jerk his leg. He let out another heavy breath.

"Why did they shoot you?"

"Dunno. Maybe I'll ask them some time." He replied dryly.

She only nodded. He looked back, paying attention to what she was doing. The light around her hands was flowing around his thigh where the blood stains had been. His pant leg was already pretty well soaked in blood. There was no pain… that was strange. He'd gotten so used to it while running and now that it'd stopped…. He tried not to shiver as the cold penetrated his entire leg. It moved up into his torso.

"You alright?" she asked, and it was only then he noticed he was panting lightly. He nodded jerkily. "I'm almost done. You're doing very good." He chuckled nervously. As she turned her gaze back to his injury, he looked over her face. It was somewhat long… oval shaped and she was pretty fair skinned. Her brow, cheekbones, and nose were narrow and well defined. Her blue eyes weren't cerulean… they weren't baby blue either. Marine blue? No. Not that. Turquoise! That's the color. They were turquoise. Her hair was long, a dark mahogany shade.

His examination was interrupted when the cool sensation changed. It very quickly began to heat, not burn just heat. He gasped, his left hand flinging out to grip something. There was nothing there, so he ended up gripping the edge of the stool he was sitting on. "Buh-gah." He grunted, unintelligently. His breath leaving him entirely, making him gasp again.

"Relax. Don't fight it." She murmured.

And he couldn't think of a single reason not to obey her. The minute he relaxed the warmth spread through him. It was euphoric and beautiful and for a long moment he was lost in it. When he found his way back to himself, he was still breathing deeply though more evenly than before. The cool and warm sensation was gone and he felt completely normal. He was slightly hunched up on the stool, but entirely relaxed and … feeling very satisfied.

 _'Did I just…? Holy shit, I think I just came.'_ He thought, his face heating.

"Good." She said, rising to eye level. He felt the sudden urge to jump as far away as possible and hide himself in a very dark place. What did she mean, 'Good'? She raised a hand up to his eye level and there, in her hand was a slightly crumpled bullet. He stared at it incredulously before looking down to his leg. The wound was gone, the blood that had stained his pants was gone, hell the bullet hole in his pants was gone. He wondered if some of the rips that had been in his jeans from overuse were mended… He looked back up to her and was surprised to see that her eyes were closed.

"What…?"

"It can be disorienting, I know. But you did very good." Her eyes were still closed, so he just kept staring.

"You… you heal, then?"

"Uh.." She scratched her chin and nervously pulled on a lock of hair. "I can… mend. Yes. Mend is a better term." She still hadn't opened her eyes, and he was beginning to wonder what  _that_  was about. He knew he was ugly, but she hadn't seemed to mind earlier. "You must be hungry. I know it can take a lot out of you." She said, turning and opening up the fridge.

 _'Orgasms tend to do that.'_  He thought absently. He shifted in his seat and was very relieved to note that while whatever she did had felt … uh… orgasmic… there was no  _physical_  reaction. Otherwise he would've had to make an awkward move for the bathroom to clean up…

"You… I'm sorry, but you're so  _not_  Myst, and…"

"I'm Telissa." She said as she went, whatever she was doing, bustling about the kitchen. "Mystique and Pyro aren't home right now." She said simply.

Oh!

"So this  _is_  their apartment…"

"Yes."

He sighed in relief.

"Do you like tomatoes?"

"Uh… yeah sure." He said with a shrug.

"What about mayonnaise.."

"Are you making me a sandwich?" He was entirely shocked.

"Of course." She said simply.

"Um.. Yeah, Mayo, lettuce and tomato are fine."

She nodded and brought him a plate. "It's fried sausage and bacon." He blinked down at the plate. He had expected ham…maybe turkey, but sausage and bacon? His eyes went to her face, fully prepared to ask questions, but she still had her eyes closed.

"What's with the blind-man routine?"

She shifted from foot to foot, scratching her chin and tugging on her hair. So, it was a nervous gesture.

"I uh… when I use my abilities it makes my eyes… look different."

He blinked at that. "I don't mind."

She shook her head. "It's not just.. I mean…" She sighed. "I just prefer to have them closed."

"Alright, alright… I won't push." He said comfortingly. "I mean, hey… you made me a sandwich." He joked. She laughed softly. Everything about her seemed soft. Her voice was low and soothing, the way she carried herself was demure. He wondered momentarily where Pyro and Mystique had found her.

He didn't remember how hungry he'd been until he smelled the sandwich. He took a bite and wondered if this girl specialized in making things orgasmic. The sausage links had been cut in half and fried, probably in a pan with the bacon. The bacon wasn't too crisp and it wasn't too floppy. It was perfect.

"This is amazing." He murmured.

She smiled. "Thank you."

"So…you're Myst and Pyro's roommate?" he asked before taking another bite. She nodded as she moved around the kitchen. He bellied up to the snack bar, leaning his weight on his elbows. There was no chance a single bite of this sandwich was going to waste. She had a very large pot of something on the stove, and now that he wasn't afraid for his life, she seemed fairly intent upon whatever was inside that pot.

"They were kind enough to take me in." She said, causing him to make a surprised face. If anyone was getting the better part of the deal, it was Pyro and Myst. He looked around the apartment, finding it clean and organized. The smell of food was just  _in_  the kitchen. He wondered if it was that way all the time. Hell, he might want to room with these three if this was how things were. He wouldn't mind throwing some of his money into rent. Hell, they could move into his place and he'd cut the rent in half.

"I'm pretty sure they're the ones who feel lucky." He said at last.

She chuckled softly. "You're kind to say so."

"So…how did you guys meet up?"

"Well, I found Pyro… on Alcatraz."

He stopped, mid-chew. "What?" he asked around his mouthful.

She nodded, adding some sort of seasoning to the pot she was hovering over. "The government had… detained me there." She said, her voice somber. "When everything with the brotherhood… started happening, and the little boy was moved from the facility, I got myself out..I saw him—Pyro that is?—knocked out on the ground, and I... I couldn't just leave him."

"So you dragged his ass back across the bridge?"

"Language." She reminded, but he heard a smile in her tone. "Actually, mending is only part of what I do. I can also generate barriers of light…" she said, matter-of-factly. "Through training, I've learned that the light that I generate can not only form a wall around me, but it can be manipulated and moved. So, I could have a barrier or… a stretcher."

"Ah… Handy." He said, licking his fingers as quietly as he could after finishing his sandwich. For a minute there, he was glad that her eyes were closed…

"Indeed." She said, walking over to a cabinet and pulling out a few plates. "Mystique found Pyro - I still don't know how - and here we three are today."

"Does the government know that you're here?"

She shook her head. "No. And I'd prefer it stay that way."

He nodded. There were plenty of things he didn't want the government knowing either. He was about to ask more questions, but the door opened.

"Telissa, you will never guess wh—" Pyro stopped. "Toad? Dude, where've you been? It's been ages." He said with a smile. "I can't wait till Myst gets home. She is going to be so stoked."

"Who's here, Pyro?" Telissa asked.

"The boss." Pyro said excitedly. It was then that Toad noticed him. He was standing in the doorway, looking no older than he had when they'd met. Evidently, his powers were back, and he'd taken another one of his 'aging treatments'. Toad rose and shook hands with him.

Magneto smiled, closing and locking the door behind him without touching it. It was then that the master of magnetism turned his attention to Telissa. "Young Pyro has told me much of you, my dear. It's quite a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"The pleasure is mine, Sir. Please say you'll be staying for supper?"

He chuckled softly. "I have no prior social engagements." He said jovially. "If you will have me, I'd be more than happy to oblige."

"And I would be more than happy to have you." Telissa said with a smile.

"See? I told you she wouldn't mind." Pyro said with a smirk. "Telissa what'd you need your powers for?" He asked. Magneto looked from Telissa to Pyro. "When she uses her powers it makes her eyes glow. She doesn't like it though, so she walks around with her eyes closed until it fades."

"They don't glow, Pyro, they seek." Telissa said evenly, obviously bothered that he was pointing it out. She turned back to the cabinets, busying herself by grabbing another plate and glass. "I prefer them looking as normal as possible anyway." She said reaching for more plates.

Magneto's face was slightly concerned. "My dear, you've no need to worry for our sakes. I'm sure your eyes are quite beautiful. And normal is what you are, under the influence of your abilities or not."

"I'm afraid Pyro's description is somewhat lacking." Telissa informed, taking a deep breath and letting it out staggeredly. As though it were an effort to keep it in. "You see, my abilities are connected to my siblings. When I use them and my brother and sister are not near, my eyes glow… we, the three of us, call it seeking. Unfortunately if they are not near, it becomes slightly painful." She sighed. "I keep my eyes closed, and eventually the effect wears away. It's… less bothersome that way."

"Where are your siblings?" Toad asked.

Her head lulled slightly. "I do not know…" she practically whimpered.

"The government separated them." Pyro informed, removing his jacket and hanging it up on a peg. "She's the reason I survived Alcatraz." he said to Magneto. "They had her there with her powers suppressed. When I came to, she told me she was the youngest of a set of triplets. But she didn't remember how she'd gotten separated from them or where she was, much less where they were. It took a while for her to recall much… I'm thinking they had her on something while she was there."

"I am one of three." Telissa murmured to herself, turning to face them. She opened her eyes, and the glow she'd spoken of was flickering away. She turned her now normal turquoise eyes onto Pyro with a sad smile. "When I was lost, I found him."

Magneto's face had gone grim during this tale. "Did they pump you full of that wretched cure as well?"

"I don't think so… or if they did, it was a long time ago." Pyro said. "She had to use her powers to get me out of there….which, I think is why they had her there so long. Probably conducting experiments or something."

Telissa shook her head. "I'm fairly certain they didn't use any cure on me. Though I've no recollection of the events that led me to that point. When I came to, though very groggy, my abilities were largely unaffected."

The four stopped talking when a jingling and scuffling came from the door. It opened wide. "Why was the door locked?" Mystique asked, stopping just on the threshold as she surveyed the people inside.

Magneto offered her a contrite smile. "Hello, my dear."

Mystique nodded awkwardly, but said nothing.

"I'm going to need more plates." Telissa said softly. She moved forward and took the bags that were in Mystique's and Sabertooth's hands.

"Whoa… it's a regular family reunion." Pyro said with a big smile. "Hey, what'd you guys bring?" He asked, offering to help Telissa with the bags - no doubt in order to see what was inside.

Victor and Mortimer shuffled towards Telissa and Pyro, carefully moving  _away_  from Mystique and Magneto. Knowing the two as well as they did, for as long as they had… they were _pretty_  sure this reunion would not result in violence…but still. Better safe than sorry. Mystique turned around and walked outside, and Magneto sighed, following her at a more sedate pace.

"Victor, was it?" Telissa asked.

"Uh yeah."

"I'm sure it's a pleasure to meet you, but would you mind helping Pyro pull the table out and set the extension leaf inside it so that I can make a place for everyone?"

"Oh, uh sure." Victor said.

"Mortimer? Can you help me with the plates?" Mortimer nodded, moving towards the stack of plates she'd set out. "Nothing like keeping busy to pass the time." She murmured and he smiled at that.

"You guys got take-out from Rossco's?" Pyro was asking Victor. "That's pretty sweet."

"Too bad about whatever it was you were cooking though." Mortimer said as he set the plates down on the now large table.

Telissa shook her head. "Not at all." She said, moving to set the plates, napkins, utensils and glasses in their place. "I spent most of the day on the sauce for the spaghetti and meatballs, but dishes like that are always better a day after they've been made. It gives the flavors in each thing time to marry."

"So, um…" Pyro muttered, looking to Telissa. "Should I tell them that we're ready for food?" Mortimer and Victor stared at him as if he were an idiot they'd only just met.

Telissa shook her head. "It's best if we leave them alone, Pyro." She uncovered the take away dishes and set them in the center of the table. "Victor, you sit here." She said, motioning to a chair near the head of the table. She sauntered back into the kitchen, turning off the stove and retrieving a pitcher from the fridge. "Mortimer, you sit across from him." The two men didn't question, they just moved to their spots. "Pyro, you sit there." She said, pointing to the chair next to Victor. "And if it's alright with you, Mortimer, I'll sit next to you." She said. Mortimer decided that he'd never find words to say how 'okay' it would be if she sat next to him. Instead he just pulled out her chair for her. "Bon Appetite, Gentlemen." She said once they were all seated. Portions of the food were dolled out and for a while the room was quiet due to them all eating.

"Can I just move in with you guys?" Mortimer was saying as he ate some of the chicken curry on his plate.

"Why on earth would you want to do that?" Victor asked.

"Well, the food for one."

"I didn't cook this." Telissa reminded.

"You could." Pyro said. "You could definitely cook this." He said with a smile.

"I will definitely remember to try." Telissa said, taking a bite of her own chicken. Her plate had mostly filled with vegetables and rice that was in another dish Victor and Mystique had brought back.

"Geeze, Toad, you're eating like a bird." Victor muttered.

"Uh… yeah." Toad said, his eyes darting conspiratorially to Telissa who didn't meet his gaze. She just smirked.

"The food will get cold." Victor heard Mystique saying before she walked back through the door. Magneto entered shortly after her, the door closing and Mystique's chair scooting out for her with little more than a look from him. Mystique sat down carefully as the chair scooted back in.

Mortimer noticed Telissa's right hand slide under the table and rest on Mystique's hand softly. Mystique gave her an encouraged smile before nodding. Whatever unseen communication the two exchanged was over as quickly as it began. It was then that he noticed that both Magneto and Mystique were setting at the 'head' of each end of the table... and while Magneto had himself and Sabertooth on either side of him, Mystique had Telissa and Pyro flanking her. He wondered if there was some purpose in that aside from the obvious...

"Toad only wants to move in because of Telissa." Pyro said, and Toad wanted to strange the kid. "She makes everything so much easier." He finished, and Toad sighed quietly, almost willing to let the comment slide. Pyro's next statement was actually aimed at Telissa instead of his plate as his previous ones had been. "Do you have any idea how many dollar burgers and burritos I'd be eating if it weren't for you?"

Telissa chuckled. "How happy am I, that my life has such purpose."

Magneto chuckled as he served himself. "I would watch that you don't devalue yourself my dear. I have had to live with these two before, and it isn't always sunshine and roses."

"Oh no. I well understand my worth." Telissa smiled, looking about the table contentedly. "I cook for heros." She said simply, her eyes twinkling at Mystique.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's all for this chapter. I hope it was enjoyable :) Lemme know. Peace out!
> 
> MM


	4. Finding Balance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marvel does what Marvel does, and I do what I do :) That's the simplest way to 'splain it.
> 
> Much love to -Skye 89 and g-love78 for reviewing :3 You guys make my smiles happen.
> 
> As always, I apologize that it takes so long for me to crank these chapters out. Honestly, we really should get together more often. Maybe have some coffee and cake or something, catch up and gab the night away. Until then...
> 
> :) Please do enjoy...

 

Vivianne flexed her arms out across the table, closing her eyes in bliss. The sun was so warm against her back. It felt so wonderful.

"Freak." She heard someone grunt.

She opened her eyes to see that her claws had extended slightly from her fingers. One of the basketball players was standing over her.

"You should go back where you came from!" he yelled. That was entirely unneeded. Hell, he was standing two feet from her.

She gave him a blank look. "Do you mean Oregon?" she asked.

His face went from angry to confused. "Wha.."

She sighed. "You seem to be going back far enough for the both of us, ya knuckle-draggin' neanderthal." She said lazily, shrugging her shoulders up high and enjoying the feel of the muscles bunching and flexing. "I'm just fine right here." She said, laying her head down the the table again.

"Why you little—hurk!"

"Who're you callin'…" she sat up, surprised to find an empty void where he'd been standing. She looked down, finding him sprawled on the ground. "…little?" She finished, arching a curious eyebrow.

"Oops?" a light and happy voice called from behind Vivianne's chair. "Did I do  _that_?" Leah's long cinnamon-brown hair actually stood on end a bit from the static her speed generated. She wrangled it into a sloppy pony tail with a smirk.

"Wow…" Vivianne murmured. "You know, I could've handled that." She said, rising. It was almost amusing how much she towered over her five-foot-three cousin.

"I'm sure you could have, cousin-dear, but I'm as good at taking out the garbage as you are."

Vivianne's lips pursed in frustration. "You shouldn't say things like that." She murmured, hefting the boy up and carefully levering him into the chair. "It's not like he tried to hurt me."

"Don't be naive." Leah said dismissively. "And don't make that face." She said, ducking and twirling around Vivianne to perch upon the table, her tiny legs dangling over the side. Dang, but she was fast.

Vivianne sighed. "How is it someone who can move faster than darkness is always late?"

Leah shrugged sheepishly. "I have more obligations?" she tried.

"Nice." The conversation stopped as a particularly strong feral scent hit her. Her nose twitched as she inhaled deeply…. Leah noticed and her eyes darted about, she sniffed the air rapidly. It was funny. Where Vivianne preferred to take deep breaths to filter in different scents, Leah took short swift sniffs.

"Who is it?"

"Not sure." Vivianne growled, irritated at her inability to identify the scent. "Ts'not someone I know."

Leah was looking disappointedly through the glass at the big store signs within. "Guess this means no side-trip to BeBe." She muttered.

Vivianne smile was pained. "I know. I wanted to check out a new top at J. Crew."

Leah smirked. "You? J. Crew?"

"I see what you did there." Vivianne said smirking back. "I know it'll take me ages to work up the money, but I just have to try on the Alexander lace-up peep-toe booties!"

"Ohmigod, I know! Did you se the Sparta lace-up high-heel sandals?"

"Right?" Vivianne moaned. "I'd even take the Marguerite suede wedges."

"Oh, and it'd look  _so_  hot on you, too." Leah assured, sounding almost snobbish.

"You guys…" the jock that they'd forgotten was coming around. "You sound like.. Chicks." He said, leaning heavily against the table to support himself.

"Excuse  _me_!" Leah said, crossing her arms over her chest tightly as she sat up straighter.

"We  _are_  chicks, asshat." Vivianne reminded, her fists planting themselves firmly against her hips. She shook her head, and smacked her own temple. "Geeze. We totally got caught up talking about shoes just now."

"Oh. Right." Leah's tone sullied itself in disappointment. "We should go, shouldn't we?" Leah said, her enthusiasm deflating.

Vivianne eyed the curves of the street, the curricular hedges and the statue at their center. Then she looked back to the gleaming glass towers they'd been so excited to visit. It was just a building… or a set of them. It wouldn't be harder to run inside there than it would be anywhere else…

"No. I think it'll be alright." She said with a smile.

Leah smiled brightly, perking up considerably. "You're sure?"

"Well, who's to say? Just because I don't know who it is doesn't mean there's any danger. It just means someone's here. And there's a lot of someone's here." She said, motioning to the people bustling around them. "Any one of them could be dangerous. May as well take our chances, as opposed to being cautious for no reason."

"Right… It's not like we're going to Victoria's Secret." Leah said with a smirk.

"Not that I'd mind that either. They have some awesome leggings and tunics." Vivianne murmured, scratching her chin.

"Ha." Leah scoffed. "If I were buying from there, it wouldn't be clothes anyone could see."

"Harhar." Vivianne grumbled, shaking her head. "You and lingerie. I dunno why you're such a snob about it. The crochet dress that I saw in their catalog was precious."

"You and your frilly things. I swear." Leah grinned winsomely. "Let's go!" she cheered, hopping off the table. "And don't you go running off like you did last time."

* * *

Vivianne sighed as she stared through the glass at the rich burgundy babydoll. It was so impractical… the slips of fabric on top would never manage to hold in her boobs. The length would barely grace her thighs… but still … it was  _so._   _pretty_. She loved the lacy pattern that was supposed to cover the breasts, and the wafty looking sheer skirt… even the solid ribbon just under the bust that tied in a bow. She rolled her eyes and ambled away from the store window. What good did it do to stare longingly through the glass? It wasn't like it mattered… it's not like there was anyone special she'd be able to wear that skimpy thing in front of. The memory of a chiseled smiling face popped up in her mind too quickly, and she did her best to dash it away.

_'Oh great. Now I'm depressed.'_

She took a few deep breaths… maybe a bit of food would make her feel better. She tended to enjoy burgers (the thicker the better) more than hot dogs, but chicken was good too. Anything with protein really. She took a few tiny sniffs of the air. Nothing too conspicuous, just something to pinpoint the tastiest smell. She stopped when she caught  _that_   _scent_  again. It was heavier. Easier to pin-point. Masculine… and agitated. Two things that really didn't mix well. She really couldn't help the curiosity that crawled up her spine. She needed to single-out who this scent belonged to… otherwise it would just gnaw at her. When it came to 'fight or flight' reflexes, she  _wasn't_  bred for flight.

* * *

Logan had no idea how it always ended up like this. 'Escorting the girls around town' always meant 'you get to carry the bags'.

"You gals almost done for the day?" he asked.

"Honestly, Wolvie, it's only just after 3." Jubilee replied.

Logan scowled. "What'd I tell you about callin' me that?"

"Not to do it?" she asked, looking innocent. Now  _there_  was the biggest con in the world.

"'Zactly."

"Sorry, Wolvie. Won't happen again, Wolvie." She said with a cheerful smile. He ground his molars in response.

"I could carry my own bags, sugar." Rogue said, trying to placate him.

"Nah, never mind." Logan grumbled. "Where the hell's Kitty anyway?"

"We left her and Theresa in Borders." Rogue said.

"Dunno what could be that interesting there." Jubilee said rolling her eyes.

"I'm sure you don't." Logan muttered. The hairs on his arms stood on end for a moment, and he dropped the bags in his hands.

"Uh, Sugar, what are you—"

He growled and turned to face a blond girl that had somehow managed to sneak up behind him. She was walking aggressively forward, her eyes fixed on him. Oddly enough, his growl along with him bearing his teeth didn't seem to phase her. She did slow down as she neared them, still she had a look about her… like a coonhound on a scent.

Vivianne pressed her lips tightly together, determined not to be the aggressor in this. She stood her ground, but she had no intentions of engaging him… not until she knew who he was.

"Logan.." Rogue warned, walking up to his side. She picked up a few of the discarded bags and turned her attention to the blond girl Logan was glaring daggers at. "I'm sorry, hon. This one can be rough around the edges."

Vivianne's eyes shifted to Rogue. "That's alright." She said easily, the corner of her mouth turned up in a smirk. A smirk which revealed some of her very sharp teeth. "So can I."

"Oh…uh…oh." Rogue was at a loss for words.

"Didn't mean to interrupt." she said in an attempt to be polite. "But," she looked at Logan again. "Your scent was getting awful strong. I wanted to make sure you weren't someone I'd have to keep an eye out for." She shrugged. "Now that I know you're not government, I feel much better."

"Government?" Rogue asked.

"Never mind." She said, waving a hand dismissively.

"Ohmigod, your blouse is so cute." Jubilee gushed. "Where'd you get it?"

"Uhh… Victoria's Secret." She said carefully, blushing a bit. Trust Jubilee to ask about something so trivial. Still, it seemed to sap some of the tension out of the blond...

The blouse was patterned with tiny, pale red and cream petals. Its sleeves were long and wide billowing out. They fell in a bunch when she raised her arm. The blouse v-ed into her cleavage, the lining decorated with tiny turquoise beads with a similarly decorated soft brown belt worn high and just under the bust. The rest of the blouse flared out just a bit. It looked like a useless, temperamental item.

"We should stop by there too." He heard Jubilee say.

"What?" He barked, forgetting about the nervous girl with the wild scent.

"This is the part where I shuffle away discretely…" the blond said with a smile as she carefully edged away.

"Hey, wait, what's your name?" Jubilee asked. The girl looked back, startled.

"I don't have to tell you that." She murmured with a grin, and probably would've tried to shuffle away. But a guy surged up behind her and caught her in a tight hold. It took everything Logan had no to negotiate a conversation between his claws and the guy's gut.

"Gotcha this time,  _Vivos_!" he cried snidely.

She growled. Not the growl of a human that's been frustrated, but the growl of a large cat that's cornered and pissed off. Her fangs became so much more obvious now that she wasn't being careful of them. "Gotta give you that much, Skull… you don't give up. Too bad." She brought up one foot, striking down at his foot with the heel of her brown boot.

"Yaaow!" he cried and she darted away when his arms reflexively let go. "You dirty mutant cunt!" he yelled. He yelped when she backhanded him hard. A few gasps came from people around them, and most bystanders were hurriedly moving away.

"That was for the language." She said. She struck him again, this time a fist to the stomach. "And that was for not taking a hint." She reeled back and punched him in the jaw. His body landed against the wall and then collapsed down onto the floor. "And that's for having a lame-ass reason for all this trouble." Vivianne eyed herself and brushed off her blouse mostly for show. Her breath came in loud huffs, and she was working hard to quell it.

"You look like you didn't even break a sweat." Rogue observed.

Vivianne eyed her. "I didn't."

"Then why are you panting so hard?" Rogue asked, eyeing her more closely.

"Again, I  _don't_ have to tell you that." was the gruff response.

"What  _was_  his reason?" Logan asked.

"He speaks." Vivianne replied, smirking at Logan. "Hell if I actually know his reason. But all their reasons are usually stupid. Stupid. Anti-mutant. Shit." She spat between heavy breaths. She took a deep breath and gathered her hair, pushing it back away from her face with both hands, her fingers combing along her scalp. "Again, sorry for the commotion." She said, turning to leave.

Logan watched as she retreated through the throng of people... He watched as they parted to make way for her.

"Well that was weird." Jubilee said. Logan continued to watch her, even as a petite brunette joined her, looking cross. "Well, who's hungry?" Jubilee's question made him loose focus on the blond.

"What's a Vivos?" Logan asked absently.

"I dunno." Jubilee shrugged. His eyes went back to the groaning jock on the floor.

* * *

Dammit, now Leah was mad.

"What the hell!" she seethed between clenched teeth. "I'm gone two seconds, and you're having all the fun with the norms?" It was then that Vivianne recognized the playful light in Leah's eyes. She shook her head.

"One, it was not fun. Two, I wasn't intereted in the norms. Three, I figured out who the scent was coming from." Now there was some interest in Leah's eyes. "Over there with the two girls. Has some strange waves going on in his hair, though considering the red-head's white highlights, I can't say he's out of place."

Leah's eyes turned where Vivianne had motioned before those eyes narrowed. "The one who's watching you?" she asked.

"Probably." She said, trying to calm the tightness in her chest.

Leah's eyes returned to her. "You're having a serious problem here…" she said, pointing to Vivianne's chest.

"It's harder to focus with another feral around. Especially one with such a high class."

"How can you tell? He doesn't seem to have any class at all." Leah said with a smirk.

"Ts'part of the instinct." Vivianne said simply.

Leah nodded somberly. "In order to survive, you have to be aware of threats." She eyed Vivianne almost clinically. "Hey. Let's walk a bit." She said softly, hooking her arm into Vivianne's and leading her away.

"It's all about your focus. And it is just that.  _Your_  focus. The focus is what you make it." Vivianne was saying to herself. "Shift the focus." she breathed, remembering the words he had spoken again and again and again.

 _'Remember, when you hone in on one single aspect of the picture, you miss the picture in its entirety.'_  She could still hear his deep, husky voice clearly. And he had been right. When she'd been focusing in on flannel-channel over there, she'd entirely missed jock-o's sneak attack…not that it had been much of one.

"You seem to be around a lot more." Vivianne murmured to Leah. A distraction would be worth a lot of money right about now.

"I'm sure you can appreciate why." Leah replied.

Vivianne thought about that, forcing her focus away from the scents of danger in the area. It took her a moment to realize that Leah was leading her to an escalator. She tried to control her breathing again. Deep and rhythmic. What the hell was so special about that guy anyway? Why was she so anxious after she'd seen him? It couldn't just have been the fight afterwards. And it couldn't have been because he was aggressive…

"I want Yarrow." She murmured, feeling like a foolish child. But the words were out of her mouth before she had time to stop them or to recollect where she was and who she was talking to.

" _Kedar_? You want to see Kedar?" Leah said. "What for?" her tone was slightly indignant, and right now Vivianne couldn't fathom why. In that moment she didn't know that Leah took great pride in being there for her. She may have been the smaller of the two, but she was older and had more training. She always saw Vivianne as her responsibility and her's to protect.

"He helps." Was all Vivianne could think to reply.

"Do you need another hunt?" Leah asked, growing more concerned.

"Dunno. Maybe." Vivianne didn't mean to be curt, but it was taking all her focus to quell the raging animal inside her.

Leah took a good long look at her cousin and looked back behind them. "Let's get you home." She said at last.

* * *

By the time they'd gotten a cab and gotten home, Vivianne had managed to get her breath back. Just being out of that crowded place, away from all those people who could be threats (some, she was absolutely certain  _were_ threats), made her more calm. But Saza had known. 'Saza' was what she called her mother… for some odd reason, she hadn't been able to pronounce 'mama' properly as a baby, and when she wanted her mother's attention she called her 'Saza!'… it stuck. Go figure.

One look at her daughter's worn face and Serus had turned away from whatever she was doing to give her a comforting hug. Vivianne barely remembered hearing Saza thank Leah for seeing Vivianne safely home. Somehow, Serus had managed to get Vivianne on the couch, letting her curl up in the crook of her arm. She stroked her daughters head, humming a low croon soothingly. It must have looked strange, a teenager needing such coddling comfort from her mother.

"What was it?" Serus asked once the calm had been so well instated it seemed a fixture.

"Just… too many people. And it felt like all of them were out for me." Vivianne said. "That sounds self-centered and stupid."

"No, it doesn't." Serus murmured. "You've been working on listening to your instincts… and it's better that you got out of there before something horrible happened as opposed to staying because you thought you were being silly." Serus's grip tightened slightly before she continued. "The other problem probably didn't help - that idiot boy who was so intent on jumping you." Leah had told her that much.

Vivianne nodded. "… they've been more relentless lately." She confessed at last.

There was a long moment of quiet before Serus spoke. "You didn't mention it. Why didn't you tell me?"

Vivianne shrugged sloppily. "Just… I guess, I thought I could handle it. I still think I can…. And there was another feral mutant in the mall, and that just set me on edge."

"Do you know who that 'other feral' was?" Vivianne could hear the concern in her mother's voice.

Vivianne shook her head. "Strong class, though. His scent was very strong… but sensing him… I dunno, Saza." Vivianne said, trying to figure out the right words. "It just set my nerves on edge. Everything was even more heightened…"

"Well…it's over now. Do you think you could eat?"

"Maybe… Do you suppose Yarrow is still at the gym?"

She didn't need to see her mother's face to know that her question had surprised her. "Most likely. He rarely finds an excuse to leave… why are you interested in seeing Kedar?" Kedar Yarrow had been a fixture at her Grandfather's gym since she was ten. When her feral mutant side had begun to assert itself more dominantly, when she'd been unable to control her temper because of it… he'd been there. He was so much stronger than she was, and had more skill… it was a comfort to know he was there for her. That someone could contain her…

"He helps… he was teaching me this thing about focus… and…it helped."

"I'm not surprised. Kedar may be young, but he has trained extensively…. His family would allow nothing else." Serus let out a breath before continuing. "How long do you think you'll need?"

"Uh..well, there are a few things I need to ask him… about the techniques he was teaching me.."

Serus nodded. "I'll drive you."

"You don't have to—"

"I'll drive you." She repeated with finality. "I'll drop you off, and return after I'm done with my errands. I shouldn't take more than a few hours."

Vivianne nodded her assent, not that it mattered at this point. Saza's words were the law in this house.

* * *

Victor growled low as he watched the numbers light up on the elevator console. If he had to sit through one more meeting where the main speaker felt the need to mollycoddle everyone through the figures, he'd go on a rampage much sooner than planned. When the doors of the elevator opened a strange scent hit him. It was strange because it was foreign, but he could detect some familiar aspects of it. There was leather and cool, damp stone, but also something soft and alluring that he remembered from somewhere. It nibbled on the base of his skull and sent a shiver down his spine and into his gut. He stepped off the elevator carefully, his eyes scanning the entire room. Nothing terribly out of the ordinary.

And then Maryann was rushing over to him as he made his way to his office.

"Mr. Creed, Sir, I'm so sorry. I couldn't turn her out." She was saying. He looked through the doors of his office and saw a very familiar silhouette. He swallowed hard.

"Very few people can." He murmured. He looked back to his receptionist. "It's fine, Maryann. She's always good to come through…" he looked back before closing the door. "See that we aren't disturbed." Maryann nodded briskly before sitting back down at her desk.

He took his time closing the door so that he could better compose his face. He turned around to find her still in the same position. Her back was to him, her arms crossed, her posture rigid as she stared out his window. The curve in her back was so inviting… and he found his eyes lingering on the small of her back and her backside. Gods how could she still manage to snare him? And how did she manage to be soft and hard all at the same time? She wasn't demanding or relentless towards him… in fact, quite the opposite. Her firm  _gentleness_  had been what startled him. He hadn't known how to react to someone so intent on caring for him…

"We may need to leave." She said, breaking him out of his revere.

"What?" He asked, unintelligently. Really, what other question could he ask?

"Vivianne's being harassed more and more every day. I had hoped that it would peter out…but no such luck." He stared at the back of her head trying to formulate a reply. "It's becoming increasingly difficult for her to manage her instincts in such a crowded place." Her head dipped down slightly. "I should have foreseen that." She whispered to herself, but he heard it. During their time together, he had needed the isolation of her house to work towards quelling his …darker urges. It had taken a while before he could think of going into more civilized areas because be had allowed the animal in him had rage for so long… it refused to be civil. He had needed time to regain control, and he had been well into his second century. Vivianne was only 14.

"Where will you go?"

Stiff shoulders rose in an uneasy shrug. "I was thinking somewhere farther in the country… But, hell, Canada might be a good option. They don't ask a lot of questions up there."

He knew that well.

"I have a house." He said, feeling more stupid as the minutes passed. She turned to look at him, her face blank and stoic. "I have… several houses, actually. Most are fairly secluded… You could… You could take your pick… you'd both be welcome."

For a few seconds the quiet seemed so loud as they stared at each other. And then, in an instant, the corner of her mouth pulled upward slightly, and the shine in her eyes was warm again. Her face, once stoic, softened slightly. His answer had pleased her.

"I'd like that." She said simply. He let out a very loud and gusty breath, his body relaxing when he hadn't even realized he'd been so tense. Her stiff posture loosened, her curves allowing for more fluid motion as she ambled towards him. He froze again, not sure what she wanted from him or where he stood. She didn't stop until her temple was pressed into his collarbone. She inhaled deeply, and he noticed her eyes fluttering closed. "You always smell so good." She murmured, and he heard a shuddering breath echo in the room (hoping to God it wasn't his).

"Only when I wash." He countered.

She rolled her head back and forth in denial. "No. Always." She said. So many things were welling up inside of him, and he had no idea if he had any right to say them. She was the one who had his child. She was the one who lived that life. She was the one who stuck it out… He was the one who left. She still had the power to deny him, or the power to let him into that life. "I've missed you." She said softly. She looked up at him, her eyes shining. If it was because of tears, she blinked them back quickly. "I poured all of it into Vivianne…" her fingers glazed over his tie, grasping the edge of it softly as if she were afraid her hold would spook him. "But it's very difficult loving someone when they're so far away."

And that was it

His arms shot around her, holding her to him. From the lack of struggle, not to mention the scent she was giving off, she certainly wasn't objecting. He didn't know how to  _tell_  her, but he sure as hell knew how to show her. There were no frilly words or silly sentiments. He didn't know if he'd ever be able to say those words… and he knew he didn't deserve them. He'd just have to prove it to her…every day.

"Come on."

"Where?" She asked softly against him.

"My place."

* * *

An hour or so later, Victor rolled over when he felt her squirming. She was laying on her belly, reaching for something (most likely a piece of discarded clothing) on the floor. He pressed himself against her back and kissed the dip of her spine just beneath her neck. "Where're ya goin'?" He murmured huskily against her skin.

She chuckled softly. "Shower." She replied. He scrapped his teeth over the protrusion of her shoulder blade and she arched into him. Her reactions were  _so_  strange… most women wouldn't have found that endearing or enjoyable. She seemed to relish his wild side. Maybe that was why… why he could never get enough of her. "Stoooop." She whined with a chuckle. "I told Vivianne I'd pick her up after a few hours and it's been a little over an hour since I dropped her off."

He didn't let go. He was too busy tracing the small of her back with a claw.

"Victor!" she chided with a decidedly girlish giggle. He wondered how long it had been since she'd made such a sound.

"I could shower with you." He murmured in her ear, laying over her like a blanket. Gods, he loved the feel of her pressed so snugly against him.

At this angle he could just see her fighting a smirk. "That would probably take much longer than a quick shower."

"You have no idea." He said before dragging her out of bed and into the bathroom. "Let's try it."

* * *

Vivianne was so tired of focusing on her breathing. She hadn't come to take a dang yoga class! She'd wanted something that would  _work._  It didn't help that her eyes kept wondering to Yarrow, which really played merry hell with her focus. Especially when he was talking to other girls who were probably paying clients of his.

He was wearing a simple white wife-beater with black sweat pants… his tanned skin was stretched over his amazing muscles, and he'd gotten his black hair cut... Before it had been long and kept back in a tie, but now it was a medium-short length, and if not properly styled probably very shaggy. But he always kept it slick back... It kept the formerly long locks out of his face and away from his striking green eyes. She gnashed her teeth and made herself focus on the wall of windows that overlooked the streets. She would  _not_  sit here and pine for her instructor. She would  _not_  be one of  _those_  girls that couldn't focus on anything but a guy! She would  _not_!

She closed her eyes and forced herself to meditate… because, you know, that always worked  _so_  well. His beautiful chiseled face popped into her mind instantly… his high cheekbones and strong jaw, his kind smile, with his heavy, dark brow over those amazing green eyes. Unfortunately, a visualization of his spectacular body was soon to follow. She wilted with a sigh. She was so far gone on him… she may as well give up trying to deny it. It wasn't a problem if she accepted that she had the world's biggest crush on her teacher…right? Or was that just the first step? Aw hell.

"You've worked yourself into quite a state." She heard his husky voice, and hissed as she jumped away from him. He was eyeing her carefully from a safe distance. He probably understood that it wasn't good to sneak up on her, but didn't know any other way of getting her attention.

"Sorry." She murmured, crossing her arms tightly in frustration. "I can't seem to get my head together and on top of things."

"You are young." He said.

"That's no excuse." She quipped back. It was, but it wasn't. The circumstances may be harsh, but she wouldn't excuse herself for a lack of discipline. Not when an accident could easily turn into a catastrophe.

"It isn't your fault. This happens to everyone around your age." He sympathized, slowly drawing closer to her. "Girls always before boys, too." She eyed him, unfazed by those kind words. It didn't help anything. "You're sixteen, yes?"

"Uh… almost 15, actually."

He let out a soft laugh. "I always forget you are younger than you look." Vivianne's eyes lowered, and she hoped the heat she felt on her face wasn't a blush. "Girls always between thirteen and sixteen…boys, always after. Between sixteen and nineteen. I was a late bloomer."

"You were?" she asked, interested only because it was about him.

He nodded with a smile. "My own instincts did not kick in until I was nineteen. Despite all my efforts."

"You  _wanted_  this to happen?"

"It's very different from what you face, Vivianna." He turned his back to her drawing away, reaching for some sort of equipment. No doubt something he would use with her. He was the only one who called her Vivianna… she never corrected him, because she loved the way it rolled off his tongue. His accent was just barely detectable, as he'd adopted English quite easily. But the Russian tint still feathered into some of his words. It was true, she supposed, that you couldn't escape your homeland easily. "The instincts that run normally are never too overpowering. They can be difficult to deal with at first." He said with a slight shrug, and she tried not to appreciate the bunch and coil of the muscles in his back and shoulders…but let's face it, it was there, and someone really  _should_  appreciate it, right? "But everything usually… equalizes." He sighed, looking to her apologetically. "Unfortunately, your father's mutation is very aggressive, and that coupled with the genetics your grandfather has handed down.. Well." He shrugged again. "It makes things more difficult."

"Tell me about it." Vivianne nodded, trying not to seem sullen. She knew she was just a child in his eyes, but she would do everything she could not to act like one.

He smiled sympathetically again. "I know… when it happened to me, it felt like a landslide."

She shifted her shoulders, her hands tightening on her biceps. "You said you were nineteen?"

He nodded. "My sisters, all older than I, came into their instincts so quickly. I had hoped the same would happen for me…. So that I could contribute to our family better." He smiled. "Being trained as a warrior is not the same as having the instinct." Kedar always called it that. 'The Instinct'. It was a good term for 'being wild within the wilder world'. "Luckily, I had been training long in preparation for the day… otherwise, who knows what would have happened."

He had told her before that the techniques he had learned to keep control of 'the Self' when 'the Instinct' took effect were the only thing that saved his sister's life. These techniques had been passed down for generations among his kin, and they believed it was their duty to teach the younger generations. It was their belief that 'the Self' and 'the Instinct' were not warring sides of a person such as herself, but two halves of the whole. And when one learned how best to balance the two halves, they were capable of complete control over their own abilities. Vivianne's Grandfather had known Kedar's father, and he had known the practices they taught. When he had learned that Kedar was seeking employment, he had rolled out the welcome mat for him.

"Yarrow, I've been practicing the techniques you've taught me, but sometimes they just… they don't help." She said gently. She wanted him aware of the situation, but she didn't want him thinking that she was weak, or not trying, or that his teachings weren't valued.

He nodded. "There is a fierce animal in you, Vivianna." He said seriously. "It may be that you struggle to maintain control over it until the day you die… but the fact that you have started trying to be in control of your animal at such an early age is good. It will help you, I think."

She nodded determinedly. "I won't give up." She said firmly. She wouldn't… not after all the hard work she, her mother, her family, and he had poured into her. And he smiled again.

"Good girl." He took a deep breath, his gentle countenance shifting to slightly more stern. "Now. You are ready for me to exhaust you?"

Dear  _gawd_ …did he know how easily her imagination could twist that sentence?

"Uh.. Yeah."

He chuckled, and she felt it vibrating through her ribcage. "I will not hurt you, Vivianna. No more than you could recover from." He said simply and she nodded. He turned his back to her again, leading her to a larger space on the gym mat.

A strange sound tickled Vivianne's ears as she fallowed behind him, and she was just about to ask what that smell was when a pair of arms and legs wrapped around her, pinning her arms to her torso. A solid body was slammed into her, and she felt herself tilt forward, loosing balance from the momentum. She shut her eyes, assuming she was about to eat the floor when the center of gravity, as well as the light and the room disappeared.

Kedar spun back around, finding only a cloud of cobalt smoke in Vivianne's place. He took a deep breath and grimaced. Sulfur.

"Zivon!" his voice boomed across the large gym, reaching his employer before he could run across the room.

"What?" Zivon asked, turning from the front desk to squint at Kedar as he ran to him.

"Call your daughter! Vivianna has been taken!"

Kedar was thankful he had never been Zivon's enemy… the murder on the his face look grizzly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dudalunDUN :3 I probably could've taken this farther but... That, up there, is over six thousand words o..o and I need a break (I'm pretty sure you do too). As always, lemme know what you think :)


	5. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I kinda left the last chapter in a cliffhanger...which means, I had to hurry up and write this. Because I needed to know what came next as much as you guys do! :3
> 
> Much love to g-love78 :) Your reviews are always very encouraging, and absolutely necessary in order to carry on. As for my chapters :| I honestly work towards getting at least 4,000 words, and then I add on to that as I feel it's necessary. And after proof reading, there's usually more added as well. So, they aren't exactly small :3
> 
> Also, thanks to Lady Fangs for her review :) Honestly, my take on Victor comes mostly from the movies but also a tiny bit from X-Men: Evolution. In X-Men Origins: Wolverine Victor seemed very much a man with a feral side. More like Logan really, only darker. In X-Men: Evolution (the first season) Magneto had these treatments that further evolved mutants. The treatment turned Sabertooth into quite an animal, so I sort of borrowed from that ...since from X-Men Origins to X-Men 1 there's a huge difference in Sabertooth O..O
> 
> And that's enough of the old wind-bag! On to the story...

 

Serus's body hit Victor's bed soundly, but she was so relaxed it really didn't even register. And Victor didn't mind at all that her long black hair was soaking his white bed linens. When it came to shower sex, he had always assumed it would be slippery, clumsy, and awkward… but pinning Serus's back to the wall as he took her... all the while the hot shower spray trickling down his back? …that had been pretty spectacular. Considering their previous …activities… it took was much longer than usual, but it left him feeling sensually relaxed and completely sated. And there was something about taking the time to work them both up… it made for an amazing end. From Serus's deep breaths, he could tell that she felt the same way.

He placed a small kiss against the inside of her knee, hearing her chuckle low in her throat. Another was placed on the dip in her lower abdomen, then on her chest just between her breasts, and finally he rested himself atop her as he kissed her neck.

"I know you recover fast, Victor…. But—"

"Hm. I think four times in one night is enough for now." He said kissing her shoulder and scrapping his teeth across the curve of her smooth skin. "Just enjoying this.. This…"

"Contentment?" she asked, letting her hands skim down his back.

"Hm.. S'that what this is?" He asked almost absently. He had thought he knew what it was to be content… This was better than he ever thought it could be.

"I'd call it bliss, but at it's base I'm pretty sure it's deep contentment." She said with a smile.

He smiled, continuing his languid exploration of her skin via his lips. After a moment his face puckered in curiosity. "What is that noise?" he asked, looking up and around. Some thick buzz-like noise that felt like it was prickling the base of his skull.

"Hm?" Serus blinked and looked about. "Oh… my cell. Gawd." She slid a palm against her face lazily. "I can't believe I just forgot about it entirely."

"Mm." He murmured, slowly sliding off her to rest at her side. "Guess the reality needs us again."

She smiled and rolled over to reach for her purse. He really just couldn't help himself. His hand slipped down from her side to her hip, and then down to grope her very plump ass, making her shriek and draw away. She gave him a glare, but beneath it he could see she was suppressing her laughter. He gave her an innocent look (at least as innocent as he could manage). She shook her head and sat up, fiddling with the keys of her blackberry. Her face shifted to serious.

"Three missed calls."

"Who from?" he asked, more interested in examining the undersides of her breasts from this vantage point.

"My father."

 _That_  got his attention. "Uhh… does he know where you are?" he asked, somewhere between amused and concerned.

She nodded. "Yes. Actually, he's been encouraging me to find you since you left…before we even realized that I was pregnant."

Victor blinked, cocking his head to the side. "Really?" he asked, very surprised by that.

Serus sighed. "My father knows me, Victor. He knew once I'd been with you, I wouldn't have any other. He knew that would be a long, lonely existence."

Victor thought over those words, amazed when they finally sunk in. He drew himself up into a sitting position as he looked at her carefully. "You mean you never… I mean…" he stalled, reminding himself that now might not be the best time to ask these questions... He would need to steel himself against her answers first.

Her eyes fell to him and she smiled, somewhat sheepishly. "You were my first and last, Victor." She looked back to her phone and cleared her throat. He couldn't help but stare at her in confusion.

"You mean…"

"I mean what I say." She said firmly. "Don't make me repeat myself." With that she pressed a button on her phone and put it to her ear. "Papa?"

He kept going over her words, still slightly dazed by it all. Serus wasn't super model material (she was too big), but she was gorgeous. When he said she took up all the room in his arms, he meant it. She was a thick woman; not fat, but definitely thick. Vivianne didn't get all of her bulk from him, and that was certain. Serus was almost all muscle, though her feminine curves weren't entirely …well… she was soft where she needed to be and firm everywhere else… As far as height, the top of her head hit right about his shoulders…. But still… she was beautiful… He wondered if it was just that she had no interest in anyone but him or if she hadn't met a man aggressive enough to make her take notice.

"WHAT!" she barked.

Well that snapped him out of his thoughts. "What's wrong?"

"Vivianne's been taken." She whispered hoarsely. Victor's hand gripped the edge of the mattress, his claws nearly shredding the material… it took most of his control to keep himself seated.

"What?" He growled low.

"We're on our way." She said breathlessly into the cell before shutting it off. She was already up. "Please tell me you keep your leathers near by?"

"You bet your shapely ass."

* * *

Vivianne opened her eyes blearily, but she had to shut them right away. She couldn't remember where she was, but it was much too bright. She took in a deep breath and groaned as her stomach growled loudly. That was odd…she'd just eaten right before she left for Grandfather's Gym… She slowly levered herself upright, relying heavily on the cool surface she had been resting on. She hunched her back, letting her head hang so that she could open her eyes slowly without fear of that blinding light. It struck her as odd that the wall and bed she was placed on were both metallic. She squinted, surprised to note that the entire room  _was_  metallic… Which is probably why it seemed so blindingly bright. Light plus reflective surfaces equils over bearing headache. Where was she?

"Ah! You're awake already!" she looked up to find an indigo skinned mutant with golden eyes smiling at her. His teeth seemed so much whiter in comparison to his dark skin. She squinted at him in disbelief before the memories came rushing back.

He had grabbed her and teleported away. She had struggled, but someone had pumped her full of sedative. She passed out before it occurred to her that she really should try to get to her phone. She was hungry because her system had burned through the tranquilizer, which meant she'd used up all the food she'd eaten earlier. Damn.

With a scream that merged into a roar, she threw herself forward. Her shoulder hit the thick glass between them, and he teleported five feet further away.

"Ah… Not so happy to see me, ja?" he said sheepishly. What cheek!

"Ja!" she growled as though it were a war cry, reeling back to slam herself into the glass again. Dammit, it wasn't even budging.

"That is not such a good idea… We only wish to talk to you, not keep you here. We don't want to have to tranquilize you again, Frauline." He winced as her body hit the barrier between them again.

"I am not your Frauline!" she yelled. She raked her claws against the glass, barely noticing that she wasn't even making a dent. Right now she was moving on aggression.

"We don't want to worry you…" Kurt said, tripping over his English a bit.

"Too bad you got me good and worried!" she screeched, continuing her assault.

"Please." Kurt fumbled, wincing back every time she struck the barrier between them "We do not want you troubled or hurt. We only want to talk."

Both of Vivianne's hands hit the glass, her claws slowly scraping down. She leaned her head against it, reminding herself to focus. Not to let the furry and frustration sweep her away. She needed something to focus on.

Something benign entered her mind… the way her mother would sing to her every time she would get worked up. How soothing it had been… she wasn't the singer that her mother was but… but she could try. And she knew just the song to to.. It was fucking perfect.

* * *

Hank McCoy was very shocked over his findings in the girl's blood. As he piled the papers together into a folder, he couldn't help but wonder over the implications. He hurriedly moved from his lab down the hall and was startled to see someone carrying Bobby over their shoulder.

"Stars and Garters, what happened?" He asked. "Here, put him on the stretcher." As soon as Bobby was laid on the stretcher Hank carefully took his pulse. "He seems to be fine… what—" he looked up and found a gun pressed to his brow, just between his eyes… So close he couldn't see the barrel.

"You are Henry McCoy, are you not?" The voice was low but feminine. He looked carefully down the arm holding the gun on him to the burnet glaring at him. She was entirely dressed in black, her dark brown hair held up in a bun, her stance taunt with a mostly blank look on her heart-shaped face.

"I am." He said carefully.

"Good. I'm told you're quite intelligent. So I want you to listen to what I have to say before we proceed, in hopes you'll understand it."

"It seems I have little choice."

"I have no desire to harm anyone here, Henry McCoy…. But I  _will_  if I'm  _made_  to." He eyed her as she took a few steps back, and some of the tension in his chest relieved. She was still aiming the gun at him, but it was no where near as daunting as a gun pressed against your forehead. "Do you understand me?"

He nodded, but she spoke before he could get a word in.

"You have my godchild." She said grimly. "I aim to get her back."

Hank's eyes widened slightly. "The girl?" she nodded, her eyes narrowing flintily. "We… discovered something interesting concerning her."

"I'm largely unconcerned about the discoveries of kidnappers." She growled. "We had look outs on every front but this one… we believed that Xavier's people would  _never_  descend to something as horrible as kidnapping!"

He winced. "That's not entirely fair…"

"That isn't up for discussion." She sighed heavily before continuing. "You have started something… something horrible that you can't even fathom."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I am the least of your worries at this point. The girl has connections… or her parents do. If you're lucky, I can get to her and tell her mother where she is and call off the alert."

"I'm afraid you aren't making much sense, Ma'am."

" _Don't_ … call me 'Ma'am'." She growled. "Have you heard of Militia?"

Hank's eyes narrowed. "Yes… a most vexing that situation.." He murmured.

Militia was supposedly the name of a mutant who owned and organized something called the 'Militia House'… Militia also commanded the Militia Men, whose sole purpose was to find mutants in desperate need and aid them. Unfortunately, the few who claimed to have been to Militia House couldn't remember where it was… or anything about its members. The obvious work of a telepath. Still, Militia seemed mostly concerned with helping mutants and getting them back on their feet as discretely as possible… the few things credited to the Militia Men were not something widely known like the workings of the Brotherhood or even the X-men…

"I imagine Militia is seeking Vivianne now… And that's if you're lucky. If her Mother and Father come to this house…." The woman shook her head. "They will bring it down around your ears and damn the sleeping children above."

Hank took in a deep breath and swallowed harshly. "We were concerned with her situation—" Hank stuttered, something he wasn't entirely used to. "There are many places where mutants are being kept with humans, only for the humans to be using them…their powers?"

"That's neither here nor there. You—" she paused, letting out a soft sigh as her eyes drifted away. Hank eyed the gun. Even if he tried to take control of the situation, there was a chance that she would fire… the question was, could he get out of the way in time… "Do you hear that?" He paused and listened. "Walk. Now." She ordered.

"It would perhaps be easier to do so …without this accompaniment." He said, motioning to the gun.

"Let's compromise… I won't shoot you if you don't attack me." She said smoothly. "That sound fair?" she slowly drew the gun to her side before holstering it.

"…Fair. Yes. Very fair." He had to restrain himself from tackling her.

"Good. Now… let's walk." She said, walking down the hall way.

"That's it?"

She sighed. "You're going to follow me, Hank McCoy, if only to make sure you're there to prevent me from shooting anyone else." She said with confidence. To that, he could do little more than follow.

* * *

"You're so mean… when you talk." Vivianne sang as strongly as she could. "About yourself. You were wrong!" she took a deep breath. "Change the voices in your head. Make them like you instead." She couldn't remember the next verse! Oh… "So complicated! Look happy, you'll make it! Filled with so much hatred. Such a tired game." She said, taking tiny breaths between each sentence. She didn't notice the flames that were rising from her hands and arms, licking their way up to her torso… yet they didn't burn her clothing, hair or skin… "It's enough. I've done all I could think of. Chased down all my demons. I've seen you do the same." Oddly, the singing was helping to regulate her breathing! She had to breathe properly in order to sing the sentences correctly… it was helping. "Pretty, pretty please, do you ever, ever feel. Like you're less than fuckin' perfect. Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel, like you're nothing."

"You're fuckin' perfect, to me." Was sung back to her from a familiar voice. Her eyes snapped open to find Mei on the other side of the glass, leaning against it as if trying to touch her through it.

"Nanna!" she cried, hating herself for tearing up.

"Mei?"

"Nice to see you, Rogue." Mei said without looking away from her godchild. "The leather looks good on you."

"…You aren't even lookin' at 'er." Logan growled.

"Like I need to look at her in order to know she looks good in leather?"

There was a beat of silence before Logan nodded and replied. "Point."

It was only then that Vivianne looked up and realized how many people had piled into the room. Had they all come when they heard her singing? Oh, terrific… being captured wasn't embarrassing enough.

"What in the world is going on?" Storm asked.

"I thought you knew…" Kurt was saying.

"Shut up!" Mei ordered. "Vivo, you need to calm down. You need to breathe."

"I'm so hungry." Vivianne whimpered. It was all so big. In an underground bunker, surrounded by the X-men… caged and helpless. Her energy was waining, and she couldn't fight the nausea off. It was too much.

Mei began to sing again. This time an airy tune, light and slow. "It's always hardest when you doubt it. It's out of sight, and hides from your voice. But you can never live without it… it's your birthright, this beautiful noise." Mei sighed in relief when the flames that had been engulfing Vivianne went from angry orange to vivid blue… "Are you burning the days just to get through the night? You are the light… All you have is your name, but the air is alive… you are the light." She took a deep breath before crooning. "I… believe… in you." The flames slowed again, going from blue to pale white-nearly clear. "I… believe in you." Finally, the flames around her vanished in swirls of smoke.

"Nanna.. I wanna go home." Vivianne said, feeling pitiful.

"I know. I know, baby. Soon."

"I'm sorry, but who exactly—" Storm's words were interrupted as everyone ducked for cover. Six shots sounded along with a short scream - probably Kitty or Jubilee - before a blinding white light engulfed the room. It lasted for long moments along with a deafening crash of metal and glass. Finally it faded, the sound fading with it. When the X-men regained their footing and looked, no one was there. Not the girl, nor the woman who'd been singing to her.

"Fantastic." Logan growled.

"Logan… I found something in the girl's blood work that should interest you." Hank said quickly.

"You found something already, Hank?" Storm was asking, but Hank realized he could only keep Logan's attention for so long. As it was, the man's eyes were darting around the room as if making sure the two outsiders hadn't found a corner to hide in. His nose twitched with the urge to hunt them down.

"There were several…anomalies… in her blood which I could not identify. But, part of her base DNA matches yours, Logan."

"What…" Logan's attention was now fully on Hank. "What part? How? What does that mean… exactly?"

"While I cannot detect if it is from the side of the mother or the father…" he realized Logan was getting antsy again and hurried his speech along. "I believe you are the girl's Uncle."

"Uncle?" Logan asked, seemingly dazed.

"Yes… Either her father or mother is a sibling of yours… or a half sibling. The anomalies in her blood work were quite peculiar."

"Hank, that's all well and good, but we need to figure out where she's been taken."

"She's upstairs, right outside the front door…" They all turned to look at Kitty. "and, I take it that's her mother she's hugging…" she murmured as she pointed at one of the security moniters.

"Then we need to get out front." Storm said, the team began to rally around her.

"I don't understand how Mei is a part of this…" Rogue said.

"You know her?" Logan asked.

Rogue nodded. "Before I met you, when I had first run away from home… I met Mei in a very Anti-Mutant town. She owned a diner there, and she realized I was a run-away. She also realized I was a mutant.." Rogue swallowed. "I stayed there for two months. She let me sleep in her guest room and work at the diner… She was more like a big sister than a boss." Rogue shrugged, finally looking back between Storm and Logan. "When I left, she paid me more than I'd earned and made sure I had a few things packed to pack meat on my bones… she understood that I couldn't stay." Rogue shook her head.

"Did you see any evidence that she was a mutant?" Hank asked.

"No. Quite the opposite. That town was run by mutant-phobes. They had installed mutant detectors at every supermarket door… Mei could walk right on through them, but I couldn't."

"This is very puzzling." Hank was saying.

"It's not the first time a non-mutant has done special ops work." Logan said, making his way for the elevator.

"It still doesn't make sense. Not even from a logical standpoint." Hank was saying as they all piled in. All except for Kurt, who teleported straight away. "The owner of a diner? Taking special ops training? It's so… strange."

* * *

Vivianne ran straight into the arms of her mother, hoping that they could hop in the car and just put this place behind them.

"Baby, we don't have time. I need you to be brave for me, ok?"

"What?"

"You see that line of trees over there? The one that's trying so hard to look like a man-made forest?" Vivianne looked where her mother was pointing and nodded. "I want you to run to that tree and then run past it, down the line. There are twenty-five trees planted on a diagonal line, you still with me?"

"Twenty-five trees."

"Right, when you get to the seventh—a cypress—you stop and hide behind the trunk."

"Cypress. Seventh. Right. What about you?"

"Mamma and Nanna are gonna have a talk with the X-men. And with you safe and guarded, we'll be much more civil about the matter. Now go… and do your best to be quiet. Don't be startled by who's waiting for you there…he's there to protect you."

"Mamma?"

"Go!"

Vivianne didn't remember whatever question she'd been wanting to ask, she just ran. She hit the tree her mother had pointed out, and held her arm out as she ran down the line of them, counting them off one by one. Three. Four. Five. Six. Her claws sunk into the trunk of the seventh tree and she used her momentum to swing around the trunk and plaster herself against the side that would hide her from the house. She waited and tried to watch her mother and Nanna's silhouettes without appearing too obvious from behind the tree. If anyone saw her, she would blow the entire thing.

She smelled him before she heard him. She whipped around, pressing her back against the tree, her claws extended. She couldn't hiss or growl, because Mamma had said not to make any noise… and then she saw his silhouette against the dark. Her eyes, more black than they had been in a long time, took in his appearance despite the darkness.

"… Daddy?" she whispered.

The tenseness in his core fled at the word, her voice pulling at whatever it was it always seemed to tug on. "Somethin' like that." He murmured softly.

She rushed to him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. He exhaled all the fear of hoping to hard and inhaled her scent, wrapping her in an awkward, over-sized hug. After a moment she pulled away. "What are you—?"

"We need to git you outta here, Darlin'." He said softly. "You see that wall?" He asked pointing back behind him, only continuing when she nodded. "Your Grandfather's behind there. I'm gonna get you over the wall, and we're are gonna ride back to my place."

"Your place?" Vivianne asked.

He nodded. "Xavier's people don't know about my houses or where they are. It'll be safer there. We've got people already moving some of your things there so you won't have to do without 'em."

"But what about Mamma?"

Victor hesitated nervously. "She has a plan… we have to trust her with it." He ground his teeth together. "Xavier's team wouldn't hurt her…"

"But—"

"No, we need to move now, Vivianne. Your Grandfather's waiting." He said firmly.

"Right…" She took one last look back at her mother's back.

"She'll be alright…" Victor said. "If we don't hear from her on the way back, I'll jump out of the car and bring these people some home-made hell." He growled.

Vivianne nodded, accepting that. "Show me the way…"

Victor nodded and focused on getting his daughter off Xavier's land as quickly as possible.

* * *

Serus purposefully kept her eyes on the doors to the school. She would not look back and try to find her daughter… she couldn't. If anyone noticed or was watching without her knowing it, it'd be as good as pointing out their escape plan. So here she an Mei stood. With Mei's car parked not too far behind them. Waiting.

Luckily they didn't have very long to wait. The doors opened… Storm, Logan, and Hank took up the lead with the rest of the team remaining behind them in the doorway.

"I'm afraid we've gotten off on the wrong foot." Storm said. Nothing was said and Storm could only let out a heavy breath. "Please… let us begin at the beginning… are you aware of an organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

Mei's eyes narrowed at the word.

"What of it?" Serus asked.

"This afternoon, Wolverine and the girls came across Vivianne in the mall after a fight she'd been in. Wolverine questioned the boy who attacked her and found out about her troubles at school. We have a team member, he calls himself Commcast, he did what he could to find out everything about her."

"I'm sure." Serus growled.

"Commcast is a technopath… do you understand what this is?"

"I understand."

Storm nodded. "Somehow, in searching for information about Vivianne, he found her name reoccurring in S.H.I.E.L.D. files."

"Damn." Mei breathed.

"I had a… discussion…." Serus began, but by the way she used the word 'discussion', it was clear that few 'words' were involved. "with Nick Furry some years back. After he became aware of my daughter's existence. He communicated to me that Vivianne was what they call a 'last resort' option against something a rival company called the weapon X project."

"Rival company?" Hank asked.

"Hyrda." Serus spat.

Hank's eyebrows rose. "Ah… I see." He said, looking to Storm with worried eyes.

"From what I understood, the weapon X project had been attempted and failed  _many_ times, and was no longer an issue."

"Evidently, it was successful… it was renamed under project X-23."

Serus sent Mei a look, and Mei took out a cell phone that had been holstered to her belt. "I'm on it." She muttered. "Manfred? Change of plans—"

"So what you're telling me here…" Serus began, drawing their attention away from Mei's hushed conversation. "Is that you kidnapped my daughter… so that someone else wouldn't… that about it?"

"Pretty much." Wolverine grunted.

Serus nodded. "And you had no idea why that would be a bad idea…?"

Storm exchanged a look with Hank before saying. "We… we did learn that she has a blood tie to a member of our team.." She murmured carefully.

Serus's gaze went to Wolverine, realizing why he was eyeing her so closely. Her eyes sprung to Hank. "You took her blood?" she asked, her tone slightly unhinged.

"I.." Hank winced as Serus cocked a sawed-off shotgun and began to advance towards him.

Mei came forward, insinuating herself between Hank and Serus. When she had gotten off her cell and what she had said were quickly forgotten. "Serus, it's not the same. It's not the same as spilling blood, cousin."

"Mei." Serus seethed behind clenched teeth.

"Listen to me…" Mei said softly. "He only took her blood to make certain she was healthy. We've heard the news of mutants being housed by humans who take advantage of their abilities in order to achieve illegal endeavors. He was only making certain that Vivianne was not being abused or neglected in any way…" Serus was breathing deeply, her eyes on the ground. "Not only was his attention innocent, he was acting to protect her as much as you or I would."

Serus nodded, closing her eyes. "Did you talk to your brother?"

"Yes. We're aware. All eyes are turning to Hydra now." Mei said softly. "We'll know what the beast is plotting soon."

"Are we… are we related in any way?" Wolverine finally asked.

Serus eyed him for a long moment, debating what she should tell him. "You're not gonna like the answer to that."

"So that's a 'yes'?" Wolverine asked sarcastically.

She chuckled. "No. We're not related… unless you want to include mattings."

"What?" he asked, his face screwed up in confusion.

"My mate is related to you. Beyond that, I'm not comfortable talking about it." She sighed. "Speaking of which… I should call him so he doesn't rampage back this way."

"That's a fantastic idea." Mei said encouragingly. "You should check on Vivianne while you're at it…"

Serus eyed Mei speculatively before chuckling. "Please stop being overly helpful." She reached for her cell and slowly began walking to the car.

"Mei?" Rogue made her way down the steps of the house. "What happened to the diner?" she asked.

"They burnt it to the ground." Mei said. "Tried to make it so I'd be in it." Rogue's hands flew over her mouth to cover her gasp of horror. "You remember Sherif Sullivan, don't you?"

"He didn't! I thought… he always seemed to…"

"As long as he believed I was amiable to his attentions, he was more than willing to turn a blind eye to my mutant-supporting. When it became apparent that I had no desire to pursue anything other than a platonic relationship… well, the line between him and law blurred slightly." Mei let out a shuddering sigh. "It's good that you left when you did… happened not even a week afterwards."

"I'm so sorry." Rogue said.

Mei's head snapped up. "Why? It wasn't your fault."

Rogue smiled, her heart warmed. "No.. But I'm still sorry."

Mei shrugged, trying to appear as care-free as she could. "The joke was on them, Rogue." She smirked. "I had that place insured for five times what it was worth." She chuckled. "You have no idea how satisfying it was when they not only didn't find my charred body among the ashes, but when I showed up the next day in a suit, filing a claim for the damage."

"Well, that's… good." Rogue paused. "What about… I mean, you loved cooking for people."

Mei nodded. "I have a new place now, further in the city." She smiled. "On the corner of gay and lesbo." Rogue blinked and Mei laughed. "The greatest thing about homosexuals, they've been through the bigotry already, so they really don't care if I service mutants. Now I'm happily a middle-east side gal."

"Gay people are so awesome." Serus said, rejoining the conversation as she closed out her call.

"Right?" Mei's question was more of a confirmation. Her eyes went from Serus's cell to her face. "Well?"

She let out a heavy sigh, her gaze resting on Wolverine. "X-23 is the 23 attempt to recreate the Weapon X project… and, you're right. This time it was successful."

"Why're you lookin' at me?" Wolverine asked.

Serus's brow drew upward in surprise. "Because  _you_  are the original Weapon X." She said without preamble.

"What?" Storm asked in shock.

"It was attempted many times before you, but you were the first success…" Serus continued. "It was the intent to coat Weapon X's bones with a nearly indestructible metal so that the person, or 'weapon' as it were, would become indestructible."

Mei's tone became dire. "Then what is this X-23 project?"

Serus sighed. "Evidently, Hydra tried to recreate the Weapon X project, but failed. A total of 22 times. At 23, someone decided to use the genetic material from the only successful weapon X to create…the new weapon X."

"What?" Wolverine roared. "They…" both of his hand came up to rub into his hair. "They cloned me?"

"Not exactly… evidently your 'genetic material' was used to … contribute to the birth of the new Weapon X. She was named X-23."

"She?" Wolverine whispered.

"Yes. She."

"Wait, how do you know all of this?" Hank asked.

"You aren't the only ones with sources." Serus informed.

"Why is S.H.I.E.L.D. getting their panties in a twist over this?" Mei asked.

"Because… the girl just underwent and survived a version of the adamantium bonding procedure." Serus said with a pained voice. "S.H.I.E.L.D. knows that Vivianne possesses the healing factor…not to mention her sire…" Mei only nodded. "They assumed the best protection against X-23 would be Vivianne…"

"The adamantium procedure?" Storm asked, horror dawning in her voice. Wolverine's claws extended swiftly with a _snikt!_  causing her to jump slightly. "Logan… would you please put those away?" Storm asked as comfortingly as she could. He didn't bother looking at her, but he did comply.

"From what I understand… she was put under and…" Serus paused and swallowed hard, trying to keep the bile down. "Her claws were forcibly extracted and coated before being reinserted…" she swallowed, a hand resting on her belly. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"I imagine Militia is all over this?" Mei asked, a disgusted look puckering her lips.

Serus nodded. "It'll be taken care of before morning."

"The hell?" Wolverine growled.

Serus sighed. "I believe you know that Militia takes issue with mutants who are… ill treated." She said tightly. "The Militia Men are the ones who uncovered the details about X-23." She informed, holding her blackberry up. "The girl and her mother both have been horribly wronged. Militia aims to recover the two women and offer them the means to live their lives." Serus looked over Wolverine and carefully asked. "Shall I tell Militia that you wish to see the girl?"

"I—I don't.." Wolverine's gaze dropped to the ground. He had no idea what he wanted to do. He wasn't responsible for this girl, but he felt as though he needed to do  _something_. Wasn't she, at least in part, his?

"You should wait until you're certain…" Serus said.

"Yeah?" Wolverine scoffed. "And how am I supposed ta find you?"

"What?" Serus quipped. "Your  _tehcno_ path can't do it for you?"

"Or…" Mei interjected, trying to be the voice of reason. "He could come to my cafe." The two stared at her in surprise.

"Really?" Rogue asked excitedly.

"Of course. It's sort of a middle ground." Mei said with a smile. "No Brotherhood, No Militia Men, No X-men, all just people, and hopefully all paying customers. If not, you know," Mei shrugged and smirked winsomely. "There's always the dishes."

"And I  _do_  want to talk to your daughter again." Wolverine was saying to Serus.

"… You might change your mind in about two minutes."

"Why would I—" He quit talking, his claws popping out as a familiar, ominous shape insinuated himself behind Serus.

"Hello, Jimmy." Sabertooth growled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaand that's all for this installment :) I hope everyone enjoyed.
> 
> As for little details, there is a mutant that calls himself Commcast who, for a time, worked with Charles Xavier. So, Commcast is not mine. I suppose I should say that X-23 and Hydra are also property of Marvel... but it seems fairly obvious o..o
> 
> All of Vivianne's family, and Militia and the Militia Men are mine. So, I hope that clears up any confusion that might occur. Looking through Marvel databases concerning the X-men and their universe can be rather daunting :| So, I like to just come out and say it sometimes. If you try to look up Militia, you won't really find anything in a Marvel database... so yeah :)


	6. Maybe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgotten - Chapter 6 - Maybe
> 
> OK, lemme 'splain… no, is too complicated. Lemme sum up :) Marvel owns most of this. Vivianne, her family, Turquoise and Militia are all mine.
> 
> Happy new year! Kinda sad that it took this long to finish this chapter:| Oi vey, college, you has kicked my ass this semester ..
> 
> Anyway!…let's just get on to the story, shall we? :)

* * *

Getting Vivianne over the wall and into her grandfather's GMC Yukon had not been a problem. Victor hadn't had to explain anything to the girl, she just followed his lead and didn't ask questions. He was grateful, because he wasn't sure how he would've handled anything else. He was on edge about leaving Serus back there even if she was with her gun-toting cousin. It just didn't sit well on his gut…for more than one reason, actually. Here he was, near Xavier's mansion, with Jimmy so close, and once again he wasn't going to be able to speak to his brother. Most of the time, he shrugged off the instinct to check up on Jimmy. But being this close, not to mention having recently accepted that he was a father, rescuing his daughter and leaving behind his mate? All of it just stank.

"Where are we headed?" Vivianne asked.

"My place" Victor replied simply.

"Your mother agreed that it would be much safer." Vivianne's grandfather — Zivon he was called — said from the driver's seat. "We already have people moving your things for you." Vivianne's eyes narrowed at that, but she didn't complain.

"Who's doing the moving." She asked, trying for subtlety.

"Many of my own students from the gym." Zivon responded. "Leah is there, setting up your room I believe." He smiled in the rearview mirror at her, probably to seem more assuring.

"…Leah's there?" Vivianne asked, a hint of suspicion in her tone. "… Does that mean… Aunt Savrana's there too?" There was a long beat of silence before Zivon responded.

"Yes." was all he said. Vivianne's eyes had gone slightly round, and she blinked shaking her head. It seemed the discussion was over.

He noticed the smell Vivianne was giving off about five minutes into the ride. Being in a confined space (the Yukon was huge, but it wasn't open aired) made it a lot easier to zero in on things. She smelled nervous but after looking her over he saw nothing but alertness. Then something hit the passenger side-shotgun, and he saw her claws slip out. They were tiny in comparison to his, but they still looked pretty painful. Luckily, the front passenger door opened and someone she knew slipped in. The fear in her seemed to melt away when she recognized him — never mind that he somehow managed to run, mount and enter the car while it was still rolling at 60 miles an hour.

"Someone order double quarter pounder with cheese?" the man asked.

"You're a prince, Yarrow." Vivianne said, snatching the bag he was holding.

He chuckled. "I have to give you full points for managing to come up with an elaborate escape from your training, Vivianna." He said, and Victor smelled something else. Something that he was completely uncomfortable with. Vivianne wasn't just happy to see this guy… she had feelings for him. He could practically smell the adoration rolling off of her… He really didn't know much about teenage girls and how to handle a teenage girl in love, but he did know that he wasn't ready to deal with this. Not now.

"I'm goin' back." He announced, and the van slowed. He looked over to see Vivianne had stopped chewing the bite of burger she'd taken and was staring at him with wide eyes. He could smell just the faintest pinpricking of nervousness on her again. He didn't know if she suspected his reasons, but …he felt the need to reassure her. "I don't like your mom back there." He said simply but firmly. She nodded and swallowed.

"Bring her back." She replied, a simple request really. He smiled to put her at ease before ejecting himself from the car. He launched himself into a full out run back down the side of the road. It wouldn't take him long to reach Xavier's again, and the run would help to clear his head. He had many more questions for Serus now. Who was this 'Yarrow' kid, and did she know that Vivianne cared about him? What he'd smelled coming from her wasn't simple hormones, it was something else. You walk the length and breadth of the world long enough and you get a handle on the difference between simple lust and genuine affection. He hadn't had the chance to fall in with decent, loving people too often… but when he did witness something like love, he could see, hear and smell the difference. He hated to say it, but that simple affection Vivianne was feeling for the Yarrow kid had its roots in something deeper…more powerful. It set his nerves on edge, and he hated himself for it. Here, he'd barely claimed the kid and already he was being possessive? And at the same time, his only solution was to run back to Serus? It just reeked. Serus would kick his ass if she knew…she'd probably be a little pleased, but she'd still kick his ass.

He crested the wall again and ghosted from shadow to shadow until he was near enough to hear them. Luckily whatever they were talking about was pressing enough that no one bothered to look away from the two women at the base of the front stares.

"And how am I supposed ta find you?" Jimmy was saying.

"What?" Serus bit out in pure sarcasm. "Your  _tehcno_ path can't do it for you?"

"Or… he could come to my cafe." Mei said, stopping the hissy fit that was sure to ensue.

"Really?" The girl from Liberty asked—she called herself Rogue. Dunno what she was so excited about.

"Of course. It's sort of a middle ground." Mei said with a smile. "No Brotherhood, No Militia Men, No X-men, all just people," What a concept. "..and hopefully all paying customers. If not, you know, there's always the dishes."

"And I  _do_  want to talk to your daughter again." Jimmy said firmly, actually pointing at Serus. Serus's attention seemed to be elsewhere. He looked to the left to see if she was looking at something specific, and then back at her again. That's when he realized one of her eyes was on him… Now how the hell did she know he was there?

"… You might change your mind in about two minutes." She muttered, still looking at him. Well… now's as good a time as any, he figured silently moving from the the shadows.

"Why would I—" Jimmy quit talking, his claws popping out as Victor insinuated himself behind Serus.

"Hello, Jimmy." He growled with a toothy grin. Rogue gasped and took several steps back, behind Jimmy and away from him. She couldn't get away from him fast enough. Guess some nightmares stick with you.

"Lady… you may wanna move." Jimmy growled.

" _You_  may wanna move." Serus snapped.

"Oh, for the love of—" Mei began. "Seriously? Is it possible for you two to, I don't know, _not_  get into a pissing match over very little thing?" Serus glared at her momentarily, but turned and handed Victor the shotgun.

"I don't think we have anything more to discuss." She said simply. "We came to get what was ours, and fight you tooth and claw if necessary. We've done that much."

"You're leaving?" Storm asked aghast. "With him?"

"Why wouldn't I leave with him?" Serus asked, feigning curiosity. Victor had to smile at that.

"He's Sabertooth!" Storm replied.

"I know." Serus said simply. "Obviously, you're not connecting the dots here." There was a heavy silence as everyone seemed to take a pause to decipher what that could mean.

"Oh my stars and garters…" McCoy said breathlessly as he looked at Victor. His eyes darted from Victor to Logan and back again. "He's the girl's father." Everyone seemed to be waiting, looking at Serus expectantly as if they were hoping for her to deny it. She didn't.

"Are you serious?" Storm asked in shock.

"What? You don't think I have it in me?" Victor demanded.

"Thus, the reason you wouldn't like my answer to whether or not we were related." Serus reminded.

"You gotta be kidding!" Logan practically exploded. "I sure as hell don't know this guy! And he called me Jimmy!"

"Because it's your name, dipshit." Victor spat on a snarl. Of all the things… He would've understood if Serus had denied him. Hell, she had a kid to take care of, and being associated with him wouldn't have made her life a picnic. Not to mention… well, it had crossed his mind that Vivianne could've been schooled  _here_. Xavier's was really open and would've worked with her, after all. But this. Hell, Jimmy was denying that he even  _knew_  him for chrissake.

"Victor, he doesn't remember." Serus said softly.

"What do you mean? How could he not remember?" Victor whispered viciously. "We ran together since we were boys, and I watched his back for over a century!"

"Don't you take that fucking tone with me." Serus said in a cool tone born from the calmness of a person who's in complete control of themselves. Damn if he didn't envy that in her. No matter how angry she was, she was always in control of herself. He gnashed his teeth together in an effort to control the animal writhing inside him. It wanted nothing more than to backhand her and shake James until he came to his senses… But that wasn't what Victor wanted. Not really. It reminded him too much of his goddam father.

"Your name is James Howlett." Victor ground out. "And we are brothers, whether you like it or not."

"The hell—" Jimmy was starting, but Serus interrupted again.

"He doesn't  _remember,_ Victor." She said again. "According to his file, he's been 'Logan' or 'Wolverine' for about 17 years now."

Victor's eyes went back to Serus's. He wanted to ask her a lot of questions… like why the hell she had a file on Jimmy. Then, he remembered when he'd first found out about Vivianne… When she'd called him and hung up the phone after telling him to refresh his coffee. She had been right, it was cold, but how could she have known that unless she was spying on him somehow? He'd never accuse Serus of being underprepared for anything… he wondered if she kept tabs on him and Jimmy after… after he'd left her… He closed his eyes tightly and tried to order his thoughts.

"17 years, huh?" He asked.

"Yes." Serus said. "Give or take."

"How the hell do you know that?" Jimmy asked, and it was a good question.

"Wait… 17 years was the whole Striker, Weapon X, Mutant Island… Deadpool thing." Victor spat.

"What?" Again Jimmy, with the useless butting in while he was trying to think.

"Yes, and you haven't seen him since, that little skirmish on Liberty notwithstanding." Serus reminded. "A great number of things could've happened to him in that span of time to cause him to forget… Something happened to you to make you forget yourself, after all."

"I dunno if Magneto's freakin' evolving treatments really count as a memory thing."

"They made you more feral." Serus said before a grin split her face. "As if you need any more encouragement with that."

Victor's eyes went to her. "I didn't hear you complaining last night." Victor growled though it was less of a animal response and more of a sensual tone.

"I wasn't." Serus cooed, crossing her arms over her chest, her hips swaying more into his space.

"Ugh, get a room." Rogue said, making a disgusted face.

"Can it, stripes." Victor muttered with a grin, still not looking away from Serus. He was definitely in a better mood. McCoy cleared his throat, as if he needed to advertise how uncomfortable he was. Geeze, the guy really needed to get laid. It may help him relax a bit.

"Look…" Mei said with a sigh. "This is all… a lot to take in. Maybe we should just break company and let it all soak in." She was fishing something out of one of her belt pockets, which seemed to make McCoy that much more uncomfortable for whatever reason. "Rogue, honey. Here." Mei said handing Rogue a small postcard. "This is where my new cafe is." She said. "If you or the others want to come in and arrange a meeting, I'm more than capable of getting in contact with… well, pretty much anyone." She said.

"Good to see you being so generous." Victor grumbled at Mei. She sure as hell wasn't as nice about helping Victor get information about Vivianne when he'd first seen her fighting outside Mei's cafe.

"Piss off, Victor." Mei said, her gaze not turning from Rogue and her smile not wavering in the slightest.

"Cookies and Cakes, huh?" Rogue asked, taking the card with a soft smile.

"Yeah. Everyone just calls it Mei's though. We've kinda got a coffee house vibe going on… it's a pretty nice place, if I don't say so myself."

"You  _did_  say so yourself." McCoy pointed out, needlessly.

"So I did." Mei said, not looking at him either. Her gaze turned to Serus. "We should probably go." Serus only nodded.

"We'll be in touch." Storm said to Serus. "And this time… we'll attempt the proper channels." She said with a slightly contrite smile. She was still giving him the evil eye, but he couldn't express in words how much he didn't care. The three of them didn't respond, they only loaded into the car to get the hell out of there.

"Oh." Victor remembered as the engine started. Mei had taken the driver's seat, and he was surprised when Serus joined him in the backseat instead of sitting shotgun. "Vivianne uh… well there are a couple of things I'd like to talk to you about in private."

"Naturally." Serus said. She seemed a lot more at ease now that they'd driven through the front gates.

"And I've got some questions about that Yarrow kid." For whatever reason Mei was chuckling at that, but he tried to ignore it. "But, she had a really weird reaction when she asked about ya'll moving."

"She tries to adapt, but even so… she is being moved into a completely different environment, Victor." Serus reasoned.

"No, not that. In fact, she took that like a trooper." He explained. "But she asked something about Leah being there, and then she seemed really… really… I guess apprehensive is the word. Yeah. She was really apprehensive when your old man said that your sister was gonna be helping." Truth be told, he had never heard Serus speak of her sister… but then, hell… they hadn't been together too long before he up-and-left.

Silence reigned in the car for a good quarter mile.

"Savrana's involved?" it was Mei who asked. Serus's face had stonewalled, going completely blank and … well.. Cold.

"Uh… according to Zivon." Victor said.

Mei reached for her cell phone again, whispering 'shit' to herself. "Manfred?" She said into the cell.

" _Ya'llo."_ Victor overheard the man's voice coming from the receiver.

"Savrana's helping to move them to Victor's." She informed. There was a beat of silence before the man on the other end replied.

" _Who the hell thought that was a good idea?"_  he asked.

"Probably Zivon's doing. We don't have details, I'm only learning about it now."

" _Well shit."_  Manfred replied.

"Exactly."

" _I can be there in 12 minutes."_

"Our e.t.a. is 20, at the max. I'm gonna floor it."

" _I'll see you there, Sis."_

"Roger that." Mei said before hanging up the phone.

"What's the big deal?" Victor asked.

"My sister and I… we don't always see eye to eye." Serus said by way of totally uninformative explanation.

"Well, my brother doesn't remember that I exist, so I guess we're even."

"When I realized I was pregnant…" Serus closed her eyes, steeling herself before she looked to Victor. "Savrana wanted to take Vivianne."

Victor paused, trying to process this information. The hell? "What do you mean 'take Vivianne'? Like, as in raise her?"

"Yes."

"What the hell for?"

"Because she was married, and she'd had a baby already." Serus said evenly. "She assumed that it would be better to raise Vivianne in a family environment."

"So her solution is taking your child from you?" Victor asked, completely bewildered. Honestly, what kind of lunatic thinks that's the solution?

"It goes deeper than that." Serus said with a sigh. "Savrana and I just… we don't get on well. She thinks every decision I make is a bad one. She assumes everything I try will fail or end badly." Serus took a deep breath as if to steady herself. "We are just very different." She said, and Victor could practically taste the sadness in that sentence.

For a moment he was so furious he didn't know what to do with himself. He raged internally on Serus's behalf. How dare this woman, sister or not, judge her so harshly? What had Serus ever done to be permanently labeled a failure?…

…Besides love him, and end up stuck with his child?

Well, that thought was depressing…

"If she feels that way, why would she be helping you now?"

"It's probably Father's doing." Serus said with a sigh. "He wants nothing more than for us to mend our fences, and for his sake we try to remain civil towards each other. We haven't quarreled since.. Well, it's been years." It was maddening the way that she answered his questions without actually answering them, or by making more questions arise. Did he have to ultimately assume that their last 'quarrel' was over him or Vivianne? "We essentially decided that it would be better that we not speak rather than constantly fight. And our daughters are close friends after all." She smiled at him. "You remember Leah?"

He nodded. "The girl Vivianne's always with."

"That's Savrana's daughter." She said with a nod. "A good girl, that Leah." Serus smiled. "She and Vivianne know about our feud, so they tend to meet in the outside world or at their Grandfather's… anywhere they can find middle ground."

"That still doesn't explain why she's helping you move in with someone she probably doesn't approve of." Victor grumbled.

"She doesn't approve. Of you, or of me maintaining contact with you." Serus said, and for a moment Victor wanted to reply with  _'don't sugar coat it'_  but, he could see that it pained her to admit it. "But if Father asked her to help, then she would do it." Serus sighed. "She'd do anything he asked of her."

Well wasn't that nice…

* * *

To Victor's unending shock, his penthouse was mostly undisturbed despite the fact that so many things had been hauled inside. He was surprised to hear classical music softly wafting from the piano in the dining room. The melody changed just a bit to a more jazzy tune. It was more free flowing as opposed to a classical arrangement. Mei practically skipped to the side of some guy he'd never met— he assumed it was her brother. He looked almost exactly like her, only taller, more muscular… which, he supposed was good since he was a man.

He spotted Leah at the entrance to the dining room, standing next to a very tall, muscular woman. Her back was to them as she stood squarely in the center of the doorway leading to the dining room. He assumed that this was Serus's famed sister. She turned around and looked back at them, evaluating them both. She nodded at Serus in a very stiff greeting, if you could call it a greeting at all. Then she put her hand on the top of her daughter's head and murmured something so softly, even Victor couldn't make it out.

He was momentarily distracted when Serus stepped close into his space, practically pressing herself into him. She didn't watch as her sister and a dark haired man he'd never met walked behind her and into the elevator, Leah following close behind. When they heard the elevator doors ding closed, Serus sighed… all the tension rushing out of her as if the floodgates had opened.

"Sorry, Ser." This came from the man Mei was standing next to. Manfred, Victor supposed his name was. "By the time I got here, I was little help. Your father took his boys back to the gym, but… Savrana refused to leave Vivianne alone."

Serus only nodded. "Speaking of…" She said on a shaky breath. "I need to see my girl."

The piano music had stopped abruptly, followed by squeaking from the piano bench. Evidently, Vivianne had been so intent on her music that she hadn't noticed her Aunt leaving until just now. She jogged into the room, wrapping her mother in a hug. The two women were silent, and Victor found himself grateful once again. No tears. No whimpers. No 'I'm so sorry', or 'I missed you' or anything like that. Just a simple embrace.

"We'll let you lot get settled in." Mei said, as she dragged Manfred out the door to the elevator. She may's well've been a million miles away, because now both Serus and Vivianne had somehow managed to migrate into his arms.

Maybe Mutants would be warring against their own kind as well as humans. Maybe he'd have to deal with the fact that his daughter was growing and had already grown a sizable crush on a guy. Maybe his brother would never remember him… Maybe there would never be peace between Savrana and Serus. Maybe the sky would burn and the sea would turn to blood and his ears would fall off. But right now, his woman and his cub were safe… in light of that victory, nothing else really seamed to matter.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand that's all for this chapter! I… really wanted to add more to this. But the more I try to force it past that point, the more contrived and weird it feels. I do have more to write, but it's part of a different section really. Suffice to say that there is more… this isn't the end - far from it :) But, I'm wondering if I should have a different story with the same characters in it or just add to this one. Oh hum.
> 
> Anyway! I hope you guys like so far :) Lemme know whatcha thinkin. Peace out.


	7. Settled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgotten - Chapter 7 - Settled
> 
> Sooo, this came a lot quicker than I thought it would o..o Marvel owns most of the base material. You know, :3 the X-Men and Brotherhood and…the world. Vivianne, her family, Turquoise, Militia, and the Militia Men… they're all mine!
> 
> Please do enjoy :)

 

Vivianne opened her eyes blearily. She hadn't slept so hard in ages. She let her eyes lazily wonder around the unfamiliar surroundings. With a sigh, she rolled onto her belly and let her arms snake forward to hug her pillow tightly. She let her back arch, knowing her backside was probably curling into the air in the most embarrassing fashion. Guess it didn't matter since she was alone. It wasn't  _her_  room, but… well. She may never see her room again. It was a room given to her though… She couldn't make herself get excited about having a brand new room in a swanky pent house. She was hoping that it was just the adrenaline crash from yesterday…

Ugh. Yesterday.

She snuggled into the pillow, taking a small bit of comfort in the fact that it was the softest, plushest pillow she'd ever felt. Her eyes circled the room again. The walls were pale gray… she'd have to do something about that. At least… if this  _was_  going to be her room… she'd have to change it to suit her.

A tiny knock sounded at the door just a moment before it opened. Her mother peeked in and smiled at her. "Hey there." She murmured softly.

"Mhm." Vivianne grunted softly. Her mother walked it and sat on the edge of the bed. "Time is it?"

"10:20."

"What?" Vivianne asked, leaning up on her elbows. "But, school…"

"I figured you needed a day off after yesterday… and… well, we're considering pulling you from that school."

"Why? Because of a few fights?" Vivianne grumbled. Sure, school wasn't a picnic, but.. Well… she'd gotten used to life not being a picnic. And she'd gotten tired of running.

"No. Not  _just_  because of a few fights." Serus replied, her hand tucking a few stray strands of Vivianne's riotous hair behind her ear. "But, those fights have gotten you a lot of attention… more than we ever wanted, and not just on the local level."

"The X-men." Vivianne sulked.

"And we have to remember that Nicholas Fury has never taken his eagle eye off of you." Serus said making a face.

Vivianne sighed and flopped back down, planting her face firmly in the pillow. "Huf mhadff?"

"I'm sorry, dear, but your pillow talk needs work." Serus countered with a smirk.

Vivianne turned her head to the side. "…Where's… _he_?" she asked as softly as possible.

Serus smiled, her eyes softening. "He's headed to work. He won't be out long. He wants to be around if we need any more help around here."

Vivianne's eyes narrowed slightly, a look of disbelief crossing her face. "Why? What does he expect us to do?"

Serus shrugged. "Well, he gave you this room after all. And he does want us feel comfortable. He probably just wants to help us settle in."

Vivianne surveyed her mother's face carefully. She'd noticed it yesterday when things had finally calmed down… something was different. She supposed that something would  _have_  to be. They'd quit their old house, and moved in with her long-estranged father. Some things were bound to change. But only here, in the late morning half light, could she finally pinpoint it. Her mother was happy. In this moment, Vivianne worried over the fact that… well.. She'd never noticed it before. She'd always assumed that her mother missed her father… but, she had also assumed that she was still happy. And maybe she had been… but, this happiness was different. It was less 'I'm satisfied with what I have' and more .. Joy.

"It's a nice room." Vivianne admitted, not bothering to look around. She assumed this guest room was nice. It was in a freakin' pent house after all.

"There's a spectacular view outside… you'd know if you opened the blinds." Serus remarked with a smile. And Vivianne decided at that moment that her mother's smile was worth the loss of her old room.

Vivianne curled her limbs closer to her torso before doing a roll and a full body stretch. "But that requires getting out of bed…" she complained. Serus chuckled.

"Well, would you like some breakfast? The kitchen is amazingly well stocked."

"Hmm.." Vivianne looked at her mother, calculatingly. "I suppose that requires getting out of bed as well."

"Yes." Serus said flatly, but not without humor. "It does."

Vivianne sighed, rolling till her feet hit the floor. She rummaged through her things until she found a bra. As it was she was wearing some shorts and an old t-shirt, but there's no way she could walk about with the girls unholstered, as it were. She took in a deep breath and isolated scents. It had taken time to figure out how to do that, but she'd had plenty of practice over the years. Her father's scent permeated everything. She remembered him. Last night… His scent had been strong and masculine and wild … but warm. She had felt safe enough that the adrenaline surge had all but ceased. It infuriated her that someone could have so much power over her. Honestly, what had he done to earn it? … Other than helping to liberate her from her kidnappers… Right. She sighed, disgusted with her own self. Honestly. She wanted her father. She was resentful of his presence. When did she become such a… teenager.

"Is something wrong?" Her mom asked, when Vivianne walked into the kitchen. Vivianne caught the bowl of oat meal Mom had slid across the counter to her. Heavy cream and syrup with fresh berries on top… just like she liked it.

Vivianne swallowed. "Just… reminding myself not to act like such a teenager."

"Hon, you  _are_  a teenager. There's nothing wrong with that… in fact, now is the only time you can get away with acting like it." Serus soothed as Vivianne chewed and swallowed.

"I know." She said with a nod. "I just keep telling myself not to act like a brat… you know, those ungrateful teens that want something and then complain when they get it?"

"Ah." Serus said in acknowledgement.

"Yeah… I've been saying I want my dad in my life and… surprise. Here he is." She took another bite of her oatmeal. Luckily, Mom didn't seem overly bothered by that bit of information. She flattened her lips into a thin line as she thought that over.

"I suppose it's doubly worse since we can't even be upset that he's in our space, what with us being in  _his_  space." Serus reasoned.

"Right?" Vivianne confirmed. Serus smiled sympathetically before starting to grill some breakfast sausage and eggs.

"It'll work out, dear. We'll figure out how to fit in each other's space, and before you know it your father will give you something to justify acting like a teenager towards him… And then you'll both get over it and move on. Just like every other family ever in existence."

Vivianne thought that over before nodding and taking another bite of her breakfast. When she really thought about it, most teenager problems weren't as grave as most teenagers believed… Teenage angst wouldn't last forever. She'd figure things out. She'd just have to play it by ear… good thing she had such good hearing.

* * *

"You shittin' me right now?" Mortimer asked, his voice controlled but even so the shock was evident. He was sitting in a private booth with Mystique, Magneto, and Sabertooth… and what Tooth had just said…

"I'm not going anywhere any time soon, Toad." Victor announced. "I've got problems of my own that need seein' to." He continued, giving Mystique a secretive look. Mortimer was still socked, Magneto looked slightly surprised but his expression was guarded as ever. Mystique looked… resigned.

"It's a shame that you won't be joining us, Victor." Magneto said after some length of time. "I had hoped that you would help us relocate to alpha position… If you don't mind, I would like to know why you've decided against moving with the Brotherhood."

"Magness—" Mystique began, sounding reproachful.

"…There's some.. Family issues that I need ta see to." Victor said cryptically. Magneto smiled as though Victor were a naive child — it wasn't entirely patronizing or cruel, but it had a touch too much pity in it for Victor's taste.

"You're not chasing after your wayward brother again, are you?" he asked.

"No." Victor said firmly though without anger. "I found out that I… I have a daughter." He said at last. He was surprised that it hadn't come out like a croak. His throat felt awfully dry at the moment.

"A daughter?" Magneto asked, his look transitioning into shock as he considered that.

"Yeah… and, she and her mother need me right now." Victor said firmly. "I have no intention of leaving them again."

"Again?" Magneto asked, cocking and eyebrow in curiosity. But he wouldn't get much more. Victor didn't feel like elaborating.

"That girl outside that cafe.." Mortimer mumbled. "Christ, she looked like you… Man! Why didn't I notice before?"

"Out a context, I suppose." Mystique reasoned. Magneto let out a single chuckle. That one was followed by a second of silence before more joined after it.

"Congratulations, my boy!" He continued still smiling. "It's a girl." This time Magneto's smile was entirely different. There was no judgment, only joy. Victor couldn't help but smile. The old man could be pretty damn decent when he wanted to be.

"Thanks." Victor responded.

"Alas, the cause must still move forward." Magneto said with a nod. "If ever you change your mind, or if you simply find yourself in need of protection, the Brotherhood will be more than willing to welcome your family into the fold as well." Victor nodded, happy that the man had his back. Victor fully intended to hold him to those words. "Are there any other concerns we should discuss?"

"What are you planning anyway?" Victor asked. "Just because I'm not playin' a part doesn't mean I don't want ta make sure I'm not in the way."

"Suffice to say there is no plan currently." Magneto admitted. "There are a number of avenues I intend to look into… I'm looking into the disappearance of a girl at present, but there are no large scale plans. Still, I would like to make sure to keep our forces at the ready should some need arise."

"There's still the matter of Telissa." Mystique pointed out.

"How do you mean?" Mortimer asked.

"She's not a member of the Brotherhood, but… I don't feel comfortable leaving her behind." Mystique said.

"Nonsense." Magneto scolded. "Not a member of the Brotherhood officially, but she is still a sister of ours. Besides, I cannot imagine having anyone else around that could help run the kitchen for us." He said with a small smile.

"I'll have to tell her…" Mystique murmured, eyeing her watch.

"I'll go." Mortimer offered. "I'll go tell her right now…. I mean…" His three companions were eyeing him now. Magneto had that clever smirk on his face, Mystique was eyeing him critically, and Victor looked confused. "I mean, it's not like you guys need me for anything more… right?"

"Quite right." Magneto said, still sporting that infuriating smile.

* * *

Victor found it infinitely amusing that he preferred the company of a egomaniacal terrorist to the owner of a small cafe. He quickly took a seat at the bar and waited to be noticed. Instead of the pretty blond who'd been working before, he was approached by a petite girl with chartreuse green skin and dark mahogany brown hair.

"Can I help you?" She asked, her voice meek and almost trembling. She seemed to be trying to disappear behind her long hair.

"Lookin' for Mei." He said simply.

"Oh..um." She nodded, her eyes downcast. "Do you have an appointment, or.."

"Walk-in." Came Mei's voice from around the corner. Evidently this cafe was enormous and continued on behind and to the right and left of the front counter. She sauntered up next to the girl and looked at her disapprovingly. "Bethany, what have I told you?" She asked, her voice turning stern as she eyed the green skinned girl. The girl, Bethany, looked like she was ready to fold in on herself in an attempt to hide. "Keep your hair up in a ponytail." Mei finished, finger combing Bethany's hair back and then tying it up in a high pony tail. The girl's hair was  _long_. Mei pushed the remaining strands behind her ears and smiled at her. "I swear, you look like a young Elizabeth Taylor."

"If Elizabeth Taylor had green skin." Bethany murmured, but a tiny smile tugged at her lips.

"I like the green." Mei said with a shrug, and she finally seemed to notice Victor. "What are you doing here, Victor?"

"I uh…" Victor shrugged. This would be difficult.

"Did you order anything yet?"

"No, Ma'am." Bethany supplied.

"Good." Mei nodded. "Bethany bring order 17 out, to go, would you?" Bethany nodded and scampered behind the counter and into the kitchen.

Victor cleared his throat. "I wanted ta thank you." He said, trying to ignore Mei's smirk. It was infuriating to owe a frail anything. "If there's anything that I could do for you…"

"There is."

"That was quick." Victor said, his eyebrows hiked up.

"I'd like your contact information." She said simply.

"… My—"

" _All_  of your contact information." Mei said a little more firmly. "Aliases, numbers, locations, etc." He blinked at her. "If Wolverine does come looking for you, I'll have a way of reaching you." And if he went missing, she'd have ideas of where to look no doubt.

"When you put it that way, it all seems so logical." He bit out, though with less malice than he might have if he didn't understand the circumstances. "I can get that to you, but I don't want anything other than the primary number ta be given out."

She nodded. "That's understandable."

"Another thing I wanted ta tell you… beings as you deal with intel and all that. Magneto's on the move."

"I'm all ears."

"There really isn't much else ta tell." Victor said. "The old man's getting ready ta head back ta one of his safe houses with some of his key people… excluding present company." Mei nodded at that. She seemed thoughtful for a moment.

"Tell me something… do you have the capability to contact Magneto?"

He raked one of his incisors across his bottom lip. "I might." He admitted.

Mei nodded slowly. "If I happen to come across someone interested in joining the Brotherhood, could I call you?"

"I suppose.." He said with a slow nod of his own.

"Good." Mei smiled, and for once it didn't make him grit his teeth. Just then Bethany walked up with a large brown paper bag. "Ah, here we are."

"What's this?" Victor asked, very much liking the smell coming from that bad.

"Lunch." Mei said. "I figured this was your last stop before home, so I took the liberty of preparing something for you to take home to your girls."

Victor surveyed the bag in her hands and then her face. What was it about these women? Both Mei and Serus weren't mutants, but somehow they were capable of anticipating things on the level of a precog. It was almost uncanny.

"Much obliged." Victor said taking the bag from her.

* * *

He didn't relax until he heard the ding of the elevator letting him know he was on his floor. The penthouse was far from quiet… or at least, no where near as quiet as it would've been if it were just him. It wasn't as if Serus were throwing a party or anything. But the living room TV seemed awfully loud. Then again, that might just be because his senses were on high alert right now.

"Oh. My. God. She is  _such_  a bitch." Serus was saying. He closed the door carefully, peering into the living room with curiosity. Serus was wearing loose-fitting dark grey yoga pants and a sleeveless grey and pink shirt. Vivianne was curled in a mountain of pillows on the other end of the sofa, wearing batman boxers with grey leggings underneath and a blue sleeveless shirt as well… though, it was more of a man's undershirt than something a woman would normally wear. One of his perhaps?

"Saza, I don't know why you're so obsessed with this show. I swear, they're all skinny little tarts if you ask me." Vivianne was saying as she chuckled as her mother. "As far as I'm concerned, none of them will ever be Milla Jovovich."

Serus pouted. "True. But the theme song is killer." She said with a beaming smile. "You wanna be on top!" She sang out kicking a leg up high, making Vivainne giggle. Serus hopped up as the show's theme song began to play, posing and strutting to the beat of the music. She pulled Vivianne up and the two of them twirled around, making up their own exaggerated model poses while they danced. Victor found the entire display hilarious, so he really couldn't bring himself to put a stop to it. In fact, as far as he was concerned, the theme song ended entirely too soon. Was this what women did when they were alone? It was only when the commercials started that Serus seemed to notice him. "Oh. Speaking of being on top."

He smirked.

Vivianne made a face and plodded back to her claimed corner of the couch. "Geez-us." She muttered.

"Oh, please. Don't let me interrupt. I'll just be back here… watchin'." He said with a smile.

"That's not creepy." Vivianne chuckled against a pillow.

Serus sauntered over to him, all curves and him with no breaks (not that he'd have it any other way). She kissed his check softly and looked down at what he was carrying. "That bag appears to be from Mei's."

"Eh?" Vivianne squeaked. It was the most adorable noise Victor had ever heard, and he never even used the word 'adorable'. If she had kitten ears, he imagined that they would have perked up.

"Yes. I stopped by there ta thank her for her help." Victor explained. He looked over and found Vivianne's eyes peering at him over the back of the counter… Just her eyes. Again with the adorable. "Hungry for lunch?" He asked.

"I could be persuaded." She said with a nod. He chuckled and rounded the sofa, putting the bag on the coffee table. "Aren't we going to eat in the dining room?" Vivianne asked.

"And miss the skinny tarts on TV?" Victor asked. "Perish the thought." He looked towards the kitchen to find Serus getting plates and utensils from the cabinets. Seriously. A precog. Then again, he'd never really had a mother figure… maybe they all had super powers.

They all got portions for themselves and sat back on the couch. Victor had one end of the sofa, Serus was more or less in the middle (though she had her back pressed against Victor's side with her feet drawn up next to her), and Vivianne on her own corner fully utilizing the mound of pillows she'd collected as a table.

"Alright, who are these bitches?" Victor asked. Vivianne laughed.

* * *

"So, Magneto took your news well?" Serus asked. She was at the sink washing the dishes they'd dirtied while he was getting something to drink.

"Ser, I've got a dishwasher." Victor reminded. Serus only shrugged… she didn't seem very bothered. And Victor couldnt's ay he minded watching her as propped himself against the fridge. Vivianne was on the computer in his office checking out something on the internet.

"Don't stall for time, Victor." Serus murmured with a smirk. Victor sighed but couldn't stop smirking back.

"Yeah.. He took it like a champ. Even extended his welcome ta you and Vivianne in case of emergency."

Serus's eyebrows drew up in surprise. "That  _is_  generous." She admitted. "It's good to hear that you can stay." She said, finding a towel to dry the dishes she'd just finished rinsing.

"Of course I can stay. You didn't think I'd be leaving you again, did you?" Serus shrugged, but said nothing. "Did you?" he asked more firmly.

"I don't know, Victor." She said shrugging her shoulders and looking over at him. "I thought perhaps you may have felt that they needed you."

"You need me." Victor reminded.

Serus nodded. "Yes. I do. We do. But…" She turned back around again, facing the damp dishes. "if you ever felt like there was something that you needed to do - wanted to do…" She shrugged, beginning to stack clean and dried dishes on the countertop. "Vivo and I are used to adapting…"

He set his beer on the cabinet and walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her midriff. "I'd take you with me." He murmured into her hair before lulling his head down to speak directly into her ear. "If anything were that important, I'd take the both of you with me. I have safe houses, and Magneto offered his ta us as well if we should need it."

Sereus relaxed in his arms. "That  _is_  reassuring." She admitted. "From the moment I met you, Victor… I knew I'd have to learn to play by different rules." Serus said softly. "But knowing you're here this time around… it makes things so much better." She said smiling back at him.

"Good luck gettin' rid'a me now." Victor said, growling playfully down at her. She smiled, knowing it was all show.

"Saza, is— oh." The two of them turned to find Vivianne halting her step as she perched on the edge of the kitchen, her question dying on her lips. "I uh… Sorry."

"Did you need something, babe?" Serus asked, and Victor made a point not to move away from Serus too quickly. He wanted Vivianne to see them like this. He wanted her to see him being affectionate with Serus. He remembered his father and how fucked up he had been. He had taken it out on Victor and that had royally fucked Victor up. If anything, Vivianne would know that her parents cared about each other... That it was a two way street.

"I was just wondering… I mean, is it safe to go to Grandfather's?"

Serus squinted for a moment before replying. "Not today, hon." She said gently. "I'm sorry, but—"

Vivianne was already nodding. "No. It's fine. I'll just.. Practice in my room."

"Or you could use the gym." Victor cut in before she could leave. Vivianne had already turned to leave, but now swung herself gracefully on the balls of her feet to turn back to them.

"What now?" She asked.

"Follow me." He said with a smirk. He led her to the front door, but instead of getting straight on the elevator, he turned and walked down the hallway. "This entire floor is mine, and it isn't  _all_  penthouse. These doors here," he said resting his hand against a scanning pad next to a set of stainless steel doors. They looked remarkably like elevator doors. "They lead to my private gym." After scanning his handprint, the doors opened. Inside was a complete set of weights, a couple of reinforced punching bags, a few exercise machines, and a small pool.

"This is incredible." Vivianne murmured, looking around in awe. She and her mom hadn't exactly been living the high life, after all. The closest she'd gotten to having a pool was a very cheaply made above ground pool that they'd received as a gift… it hadn't lasted too long with Vivianne's claws scraping the lining now and then.

"This isn't as good as it may seem." Victor warned. "Here, you have ta be your own motivator. There isn't a coach ta make you do what you need t'do." He smiled at her. "Think you can handle it?"

"I could be persuaded." She said matching his smile.

"How's about we scan you and your mother's hand prints into the system then?" Victor suggested.

"Yes, please." Vivianne said with a smile. At least this way she'd be able to managed beating out her aggression here instead of letting her brooding get the best of her. "Uh… May I invite Leah over?" She asked carefully, her eyes downcast.

Victor reached out and turned her gaze up with a finger. The more he thought about it, the more he hated the idea that his cub might be afraid of him. "Your friends are welcome ta come, though I'd like ta know when they'll be coming ahead of time." Victor assured. He felt that was reasonable. The smile he got in return was more than enough evidence that he was right.

"Thank you." She said. "This… This really is pretty great."

He nodded as well. "I do what I can, kid." He said softly.

A somewhat vacant look settled over her face as she stared back at him. "Yeah. Me too." Was her reply. He guessed that'd be their motto for now... To do what they could.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It doesn't feel like much happened this chapter for some odd reason :| Not sure why… I mean, it feels like it's mostly filler, but I think that stuff is absolutely necessary…and fun. I hope you like far :)
> 
> Lemme know whatcha thinkin. Peace out.


	8. Rhetoric

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgotten - Chapter 8 - Rhetoric
> 
> I wasn't going to write this, but every time I went to continue the story without it… it just didn't work. So I decided to stop fighting it, and here it is :)
> 
> Marvel owns most of the base material. You know, :3 the X-Men and Brotherhood and…the world. Vivianne, her family, Telissa, Militia, and the Militia Men… they're all mine!
> 
> Please do enjoy :)

* * *

Mortimer sighed with the knowledge that everything was about to change again. Just when he'd managed to find a good rhythm too. He'd finished speaking with Magneto. He hid it well, but the man's powers were back in full force. While old bucket-head may not've been planning anything huge yet, that didn't mean he didn't want all his ducks in a row as soon as possible. Magneto would probably explain everything in full detail to Myst himself (and Myst would tell Pyro what they were doing), so Mortimer had volunteered to give Telissa a heads up…it's not like he wouldn't be in the neighborhood anyway. He had gotten one of those smiles from Magneto — the kind that said 'I'm a wise old man, I know what's going on here'— but he didn't care. He did like Telissa, and he didn't care what anyone else thought… more over, he knew that a pretty young girl like that wouldn't feel the same way… so, when that ultimate rejection came (assuming he somehow dropped his guard, and she figured him out), he'd be ready for it.

He was very glad that Myst had given him a second key the to place, because he had been knocking for five minutes now with no response. He had just passed through the door when he realized that something was off. Sure, the place smelled like food was cooking, but the lights were off. He looked around, letting his eyes adjust to the lack of light. He was surprised to note that there was some light… in the living room. On the sofa. Coming from Telissa's eyes.

She was curled up in a ball, completely expressionless… but her eyes were wide, her pupils were dilated, and the irises of her eyes were glowing. He wondered why it always upset her to let anyone see her eyes that way. They were brilliant turquoise blue, glowing brightly as if car headlight were rigged up behind her eyes. The light made it easy for him to not bump into the coffee table in front of the sofa. He realized that she was unaware of his presence… a part of him reasoned that he didn't want to startle her out of whatever trance she was in, but he knew deep down that he really just wanted to look at her eyes for as long as possible. Honestly, how many times did anyone get the chance?

Now that he'd drawn closer and his eyes had adjusted, he could see a small gash on her shin… It was too deep for it to have been something domestic… Unless her coffee tables were lined with knives or something.

"Telissa?" He called softly, as he squatted down between the couch and the coffee table. No response. "Telissa?" He called again, reaching towards her. He hesitated though, glaring at his hand. …would that be ok? Touching her, even innocently? For one, it might startle her out of her trance… but.. Would she want him to? He reasoned that it'd probably make her very uncomfortable as he glared at his webbed fingers. Not that he'd take that personally. Damn… sometimes he repulsed  _himself_.

Suddenly, her pupils shrunk to a pinpoint and one of her hands shot up and grasped his wrist. He almost jumped away, startled by the sudden movement. She took a few quick breaths, her face remaining as it had for a few seconds, before her eyes darted to him. There was nothing at first, but then recollection dawned on her and she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Mortimer." She said simply.

"Y-yeah.. It's me. What happened to your leg?" he asked, hoping she wouldn't be upset that he'd.. Uh… interrupted her.

"Not my leg." She responded, rolling just slightly into the sofa cushions. Well, it wasn't quite rolling really. More like a cat undulating towards something to brush up against… He squinted. No. She wasn't doing that. She was turning her face further into the cushion. She was  _hiding_  her face…

"Hey." He said comfortingly. "You don't have to hide." He felt horrible when he realized that there was moisture surrounding those eyes. Had he hurt her feelings somehow? "Your eyes… They're really beautiful." The words felt clumsy and stupid on his lips, but they were the truth. So help him, they were the truth.

"No it's… it's not that, I just haven't done a search like that in a while." He was shocked by the naked display of emotions on her face. Shocked and upset. He could visibly see the pain in her expression… and it wasn't just pain from the gash on her leg, but something bigger. It was more than sorrow too… it was so hard to explain, but she looked like she was physically hurting and he couldn't tell if it was emotional or from her abilities. She continued to hold onto him, and with her other hand, she drew herself up into a sitting position.

"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice a tentative whisper. Geezus, he needed to get a grip on himself. It was difficult though… it was like she was crumbling under the combined weight of her feelings and the added physical pain she was under.

"I'm fine, just.. I should probably fix you something."

"Fuck's sake, woman!" Mortimer said with perhaps a little more force than was necessary. "I didn't come here for a meal. You think I wanna watch you hobble around in agony?" It was odd to watch, but her head lowered down into her shrugging shoulders as he scolded her. "Just… Just take it easy for a second. If I need something, I'll ask." He swallowed, reminding himself that perhaps he needed to scale down the agitation. It wasn't her that he was aggravated with…not exactly. He settled himself next to her on the couch. Not far away, but still not touching.

"Sorry."

"Don't say that." He corrected. "You've got nothing to be sorry about." He took a few more collecting breaths. "Now. Tell me about what happened here." He said, motioning to her on the couch and her leg.

She seemed hesitant, but then she reached to the side table and grabbed a small box of tissues. "I was minding my own business and trying to keep busy." She explained. "I do that… I keep busy, because if I'm not busy, I start thinking and that's bad." She sniffled, pulling a tissue from the box and dabbing the corner of her eyes. "And then, I felt pain in my leg, and when I looked down there was a gash."

"It just appeared?" Mortimer asked, perplexed.

She nodded. "It happens."

"…Uh, I'm pretty sure it doesn't." He said, giving her a disbelieving look. "Why would your leg suddenly and without explanation get a gash in it?"

She smiled. "It's not  _my_  leg that's gashed." She said. "It's just a manifestation of another gash on another leg."

"What… what does that  _mean_ , though?"

"One of my siblings… My brother Anthony or my sister Lisa… probably Lisa. She's  _very_  physical and sometimes forgets to protect herself."

"Oh…" he said dumbly before realizing. "Oh!..oh."

"Yes." Telissa said with a fragile smile. "Oh."

"So… you're  _that_  connected?"

Telissa nodded. "I immediately started seeking… I suppose I hoped that they were near by."

"Any luck?"

"Not really." Telissa said with a frustrated sigh. "All I felt was a rush of adrenalin and…queasy."

"Queasy?" Mortimer asked. "I take it that's not what you usually feel?"

"No. The bond between us usually feels… safe. I can't pin down exactly where they are, but… this felt different. I assume my siblings are fighting…"

"Uh huh… shouldn't you, uh… I dunno. Heal that?"

"No. It's not my leg, after all."

"Uh, I beg to differ." Mortimer said, eyeing the gash. It wasn't bleeding or anything, but it looked bad. Deep that is.

"It's mending itself. It's just taking a while. I'm pretty certain it's Lisa… her mending could use some work. Look," she said, swinging her legs over his lap. "already it looks less red and more pink."

"Uh… uh-huh." He said distractedly. She was wearing shorts. They were cute little denim shorts. And damn, but her legs … they were nice. Okay, so she wasn't a Victoria Secret model, but she was willowey and lithe and… female. And her legs were  _nice_. They were long and slender and curvy, but not simple or flabby. More like a ballet dancer's legs, not that he'd had the chance to see many of those close up. The skin was so smooth and pale and creamy and daaaamn. He closed his eyes and peeked at her face to see if she'd realized he was having an internal crisis. "But uh… doesn't it still hurt?"

"Like a bad bruise. But I'm not bleeding." He looked at her shin and noted that she was correct.

"Hey, you're right… it sure looks like you should be though…" he stared at the wound, completely perplexed by it. When he looked back at her face, he noticed she was blushing… and it was the cutest thing he'd ever seen in his life. "What's wrong?"

"I uh.." She began, and he couldn't help but smile at her breathless, slightly flustered tone. "I just realized how awkward this is, and that I probably made you very uncomfortable." She drew her legs back, tucking them tightly against her. "Sorry."

"You don't—" He began, but he cut himself off not sure what to say.

"What is it?" She asked.

"… I'm kind of.. Not used to human contact." He said carefully. He chuckled, trying to sound unaffected. "No one wants to touch an old toad, right?" her eyebrows knitted together in confusion? Surprise? He wasn't sure. "So, uh… I really don't mind… I mean, it throws me off a little but… I like how you.. Seem comfortable around me." Those were the right words. Comfortable. She wasn't overly fawning, pushy or know-it-all. She didn't draw away because she was disgusted or afraid of him. She was just comfortable around him. Sometimes she got shy or unsure of herself, but she wasn't repulsed by him. For him, it was like being stuck on the border between heaven and hell, really.

"Oh." She said softly as she thought that over. A split second later, her legs had swung out again, her feet perched on the other side of his lap. Thank God there was no physical contact between her legs and his lap.

He chuckled softly before looking down at where the gash had been. "Oh, hey, it's almost better now." He noticed. The angry red line was entirely gone, the skin was a pale pink scar now.

"She's healed it now… we'll be fine."

"I still can't imagine being  _that_  connected with anyone." He said shaking his head.

"You have no idea how hard it was to adjust to the pronoun 'I'. I had never been an 'I' before… everything was 'we'." He looked over at her.

"You know… I  _really_  don't mind the eyes… In fact… I think they're really pretty." He said. "So… you know.. If you really are worried about seeking, I mean, that's fine and all but… but if you think you'll offend me… keeping your eyes closed is unnecessary." She seemed to think his words over before opening her eyes. The light there wasn't as bright, but her irises were still glowing faintly. "So… can you control that?"

She thought for a moment before nodding. "It's easier when there are minimal distractions… which is why I felt the need to keep them closed when there were so many people here before." He imagined that she also felt insecure about her eyes the way he did about his appearance, but decided not to call her on it. She sighed heavily. "If my siblings were here, I'd have no problems with focusing." She said before shaking her head. "I guess it's the cost of becoming too reliant on our bond." She felt quiet for a moment and he thought about that. It seemed like this bond she had to her siblings wasn't just a part of her identity, but also a part of her abilities. "Can you do me a favor?" she asked carefully.

"What's that?"

"Can you feel my leg?" he blinked at her stupidly. Was she serious? "Where the gash was?" she elaborated. "I want to see if it still feels bruised." He stared at her a moment longer before looking down at the leg in question.

"Uh.. You don't mind?" he asked, feeling like his heart may stop.

"Mortimer, I've touched your knee an thigh before, remember?" Did he remember? Damned if he'd forget… but this was different. This was him putting his webbed, green hands on her. He nodded and tentatively reached out a hand, laying it on the spot in question. Damn damn damn, her skin wasn't even like skin! It was so smooth and soft… if suede and marble had a baby, that would be a poor copy of her skin.

"I'm not grossing you out am I?" he asked, carefully moving his thumb over the spot.

Her expression turned confused. "Why would you be?"

"I…" He swallowed, looking down and yet not seeing the beautiful pair of legs he was touching. "I know what I look like, Telissa." He said simply. Ok. He'd admit it. His skin wasn't  _all_  green. It was splotchy green, especially darker around joints and… well… places that didn't get much sun. But against her fair skin, it looked that much more putrid. He was shocked out of his mind when he felt her hand caressing the back of his skull. It sent shivers down his spine, into his pelvis, back up his spine to ricochet inside his skull. This wasn't 'aroused', a low fire had begun burning in his belly and this spark was going to start a blaze if he didn't keep himself in check. He looked over at her, completely startled. She forked her fingers in his hair, grazing down his scalp to brush against the back of his neck.

"There's nothing wrong with how you look, Mortimer." She said with such moving sincerity that for a moment he couldn't even breathe. Her hand moved so that the back it caressed his jaw line, and God help him but he couldn't help leaning into her touch. He clenched his jaw and swallowed hard. "I've made you uncomfortable again, haven't I?" She asked sheepishly.

He let out a gusty sigh. "Uh… just a little." He murmured. It was the easy way out, but he was taking it. "I mean, uh.. I'm not saying I don't enjoy… that. I'm just… not used to it." He said shaking his head. She nodded sympathetically, and he felt like every kind of cad.

"Are you hungry?" She asked. Oh food. It brought people together, and everyone needed it.

He looked down where his hand still rested on her shin. "Your leg doesn't hurt?"

"Not even a little." She assured.

He nodded. "I could eat." He admitted. Once again, the easy way out. It gave her something to focus on, and it gave him a moment to collect himself. She smiled at him, and he had to wonder if she wasn't relieved to have something to focus on. Her eyes stopped glowing and she swung her feet to the floor.

"You mentioned something about not coming here to eat." She reminded.

"Oh.. Yeah, uh." He moved to the snack bar awkwardly. Luckily, she was busy getting containers out of the fridge, so she didn't notice. "Magneto wants us to start moving country." He said and she dropped a large spoon.

"What?" she asked hesitantly.

"Well… he's got his Mojo back, right? He doesn't want to start a full out assault, but he would like to move supplies and our people to one of his facilities." He noticed her back tensing up at the word 'facilities' and then cursed inwardly. "I mean… he's got a few shelters that we go to… places that are safe. There's a bunch of sleeping quarters, vehicle bays, even a mess hall."

"Oh…" she said softly. He was puzzled by her sullen tone. "And… Myst and Pyro will be leaving soon." She said softly, and that's when he put 2 and 2 together.

"Well, yeah. He wants to know if you'd be willing to oversee the cafeteria." The spoon dropped again, and Telissa slowly turned around and faced him.

"He wants me to go too?" she asked shocked.

"Of course… why wouldn't he?" Mortimer asked with a chuckle. Telissa seemed confused by the question.

"I am not a member of the Brotherhood." She said at last.

"You may as well be." He argued. "You cook for heros, remember?"

"Yes but… even if I were asked to do more… I don't know that I would." He looked at her in surprise. He'd just assumed she was here with Myst and Pyro because she wanted to be part of the Brotherhood. "If asked to join… I don't know that I would."

"Why not?" Mortimer tried his best not to sound like he was judging her by that…tried not to take it personal… tried not to feel offended… but he was.

"I do not fully agree with all of what Magneto says… also, I am very careful as to who I commit to following into a fight."

"So, you think it'd be better to do nothing then?" Mortimer asked, trying to control the volume of his voice. He couldn't' help it though. The things she was saying sounded more and more like Xavier rhetoric, and he'd seen that as a pipe dream and little else.

"I don't believe in punishing innocents all for the sake of a cause." She replied.

He laughed bitterly. "There are no more innocents." He said softly. He was surprised when she didn't say anything more. He looked up from the counter top to find her staring at him. Not glaring. Not angry. Just observing him. It was… offsetting.

"I am not innocent?" she asked.

"Now, wait—" he backpedaled, but she wasn't done.

"I deserved to be sequestered and experimented on, taken from my siblings?"

"That isn't what I meant."

"And that young boy? The one in the facility that the government was using?" Telissa countered and he stopped talking. "The  _mutant_  boy, whose only crime was being born with the ability to suppress other mutants' powers? Did he deserve the judgment Magneto passed upon him?"

Mortimer sighed, hanging his head. She had a point there. If the kid had been more in control of his abilities and not part of some scheme by the government…hell, bucket-head would've wanted to recruit him.

"I know…" He groaned. He had to admit, even if just to himself, if Magneto had said that to him… If he'd been given the order to kill that kid… in the heat of battle, he may've done his best to obey the order. He didn't know if it was because the blood ran hot during a fight or because Magneto could be pretty persuasive when he wanted to be… but he would follow that order if it was given to him. Now that he was thinking about it, it wasn't something to be proud of. It made him wonder whether or not he  _fully_  supported the Brotherhood… or maybe it was just… "But, I can't do  _nothing_ , Telissa." He said simply. It occurred to him that he hadn't been defending the actions of the brotherhood…he'd been defending his actions.

She nodded and walked around the snack bar to stand next to him. She placed a plate of food down in front of him and put a comforting hand on his should. To his credit, he did not lean into her touch.

"I believe that leaders should be held accountable for their actions; and, that they are not only held responsible  _for_ the people they command but also that they are also held responsible  _by_  the people they command." She said. "I don't think that this is something Magneto promotes." He chuckled, nodding at that. "And, though I see many flaws in this country, I do support the ideal of democracy over dictatorship… if he does not allow you to have a say in the decisions of the Brotherhood, it really isn't much of a brotherhood… it's just a rhetoric he uses to rally people to his cause."

He stared up at her thoughtfully, almost suspiciously. He had to wonder if she could read minds… he had only just thought about the ideals Xavier spouted as a rhetoric, and now she was quoting it back at him?… no. It had to be a coincidence. If she could read minds… she would know things… things he didn't want her to know that would repulse her.

"Eat your chicken." She demanded before drawing away. He looked down at the plate she'd pointed to before watching her saunter back into the kitchen. Fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy and corn? He took a bite of the chicken and closed his eyes in bliss. Savory and juice and perfect.

"Telissa, even if you don't agree with Magneto, you have to come and manage the cafeteria. No one cooks like this." Mortimer said before taking another hearty bite.

"It's only food, Mortimer. Anyone with the recipe and the time could do it." She said with a chuckle. "I suppose I'll have a talk with Magneto just to make sure there's no misunderstanding."

"Good. It's not like you'd move into my place or anything." He murmured while he chewed.

"Where is your place, anyway?" she asked curiously.

"I got a nice spot in midtown." He said.

"Would you be there?" she asked, and he swallowed looking at her.

"Where? At my place?"

"Yes. I assumed you'd be heading out with them. The Brotherhood that is."

He nodded. "Yeah, I would be leaving my place for a while…"

"Well, that wouldn't do any good either." She said, pushing her corn around the plate she'd fixed for herself. "It's no better to be lonesome in midtown than it is to be lonesome here in an apartment." She reasoned. He blinked rapidly, having to reset his brain entirely. For one maddening second, visions of living with her played merry hell with his imagination… and that really wasn't helping him to speak properly.

"I uh… I was more… referring to the fact that you probably wouldn't move in with  _me_." He specified.

She looked at him curiously as she chewed the bite of corn she'd just taken. "Why? You don't have a place for me to sleep?" she asked once she'd swallowed.

"Uh.." He could feel heat rising up his neck. "Well… I mean, there's space…" he admitted.

"Then why wouldn't I?"

He sputtered and covered it with a chuckle. "Because I'm a dirty old man and your a virtuous young lady?"

She blinked at him before blushing as she realized. "Oh… right. Not very proper, I suppose… but…" She shrugged. "As long as you wouldn't mind me in your space.." She reasoned. "If I needed somewhere to live, I don't see why I wouldn't move in with you."

…Had his heart stopped? Oh. No. It was there. Just in his throat. He took a bite of potatoes and swallowed his heart back down with the potatoes hoping that it'd sort itself out. "I wouldn't mind…" He muttered. She smiled in such a charming way and he couldn't help thinking how lovely she was.

"Well then, if ever I'm in need, I shall ring you up."

' _You do more than ring me up.'_  He thought, but all he did was smile and kept eating. If Magneto let her walk away… it may just be the stupidest thing he ever heard.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For whatever reason, I absolutely love this chapter :) I hate it when I do that, but I just so enjoyed writing it. Anyway, I like that the story isn't over, and it's continuing to grow and evolve (forgive the pun) in different ways.
> 
> Anyway. Feedback would be much appreciated :) Peace out.


	9. Fairy Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgotten - Chapter 9 - Fairy Time
> 
> Enough of my inane babble! On to the story!…

* * *

Mei softly padded down the darkened corridor, taking a bit of her attention to admire some of the sculptures and artwork. Getting in was easy enough, especially at the dead of night. Still, she was a bit surprised that she hadn't encountered someone before reaching her goal. She'd practically been along every hallway, and still nothing. Reaching the end of this hallway proved a dead end… no stairway or exit that she could see, only doors into rooms for the children. Still the end of the hall had a lovely large window over a very comfy looking window seat. Mei leaned over, opening the window and gazing up into the night sky. Phoebe looked so lovely tonight…

She heard the mechanical whirring before she sensed his approach. She turned away from the open window and stared back the way she'd come. The darkness down the hallway seemed denser in contrast to the bright moonlight pouring in from the window. She took several steps forward, braving that darkness so that her eyes could better adjust. Then she saw him. An old man in a wheel chair. He was very plain, looking thin and frail even by elderly standards. His muscle condition was obviously so substandard, she had to wonder if he'd moved a day in his life. He wheeled forward, keeping several paces between them, and just stared at her. She cocked her head to the side, wondering why in the world he seemed so at ease.

"Should we actually speak, or is this to be a silent conversation?" She asked. "I could pantomime." His expression altered slightly, turning from surprised to confused and then landing on shock.

"I cannot read you." He said at last.

Mei's eyebrows rose in comprehension. "Ahh.. It seems I have mistake'd your shape and making quite, or else… you aren't wearing your usual meat suit." She began to grin at his uncomprehending expression. "Are the rumors true then… Professor?"

"I see you know who I am." He rallied, eying her in hopes of dislodging her secrets the old fashioned way.

"Well, this  _is_  cause for celebration." Mei said with a big smile. "It's not every day someone turns the pearly gates into a set of revolving doors." She heard a heavy thump behind her and found Wolverine had landed somewhat inelegantly on the window seat. One of the doors to her left opened before the one on the right did as well, Storm coming to the Professor's side before another girl — Jubilee, Mei recognized her — went to his other side.

"I was told that you weren't a mutant." The professor murmured.

Mei popped her neck before staring him down. "I'm not." Was all she said, and in the span of gasp, she had un-holstered the gun at her hip, drew it up and shot Wolverine between the eyes. The bullet, hitting him at point blank range, sent him sprawling backward unconscious. Jubilee gave a little shriek, but Mei dove through the window before Storm's lightning strike could meet it's mark. Mei landed on her feet and crouched as she surveyed the area, finding Beast to her right. He must've been the one to throw Wolverine up into the window in an attempt to block her exit. A clever idea, but not too clever really. She hissed at him and heard him restrain a deep growl. Her legs uncoiled, launching her forward into a run. She swept herself across the property, knowing they had to be trailing behind her, before she leapt into the thick woods that bordered the land.

Hank skidded to a stop when Ororo's voice came through his ear piece. "Say again, Ororo, I didn't copy that." He said, trying to calm his heart rate.

"I said, Logan is coming around. He seems to be fine." Hank could just barely hear Logan muttering something about 'for being knocked on my ass', or something like that.

"Roger that. She's fled into the woods, I'm following."

"Hank, wait."

"Her scent is strong, I can follow. I'll let you know when I've got her pinned down." He simply could not stop himself from taking to the trees and swinging forward. You could call it a predator instinct, you could call it fight or flight, but the Beast was simply ragging inside of him to hunt her down and answer her challenge. Hank understood that the animal within him had the most basic instincts. Fight situations were where his mutation seemed to flourish. But this was something different. When she hissed at him, it was almost provoking. The Beast inside had wanted to roar in return, had wanted to beat his chest in a display of dominance.

He followed her scent until he noticed it dip below the line of branches to the forest floor. There he found her gun belt… with the guns still holstered. He stared at it for a moment, before realizing that it could very well be a diversion. He looked up and around, through the trees. She surprised him by dropping onto a branch right in front of him and very close.

"Well… You certainly are swift." He noted, hoping that keeping her talking would keep her in one spot.

She smiled. "Swifter than the moon's sphere;" she said with a smirk before cocking her head to the side as if in respect. "and I serve the fairy queen, to dew her orbs upon the green."

His eyes narrowed, feeling his mind assert itself in the midst of the chaotic rush of adrenaline. "Shakespeare?"

"Well spotted, Ambassador." She said with a big smile.

"You're quoting Shakespeare at me after breaking into our school? … again?"

She waved a hand dismissively. "I only meant to enter and gain the lay of the land…." Her face became stern. "And with thy brawls thou hast disturb'd our sport."

He shook his head. "And you've disturbed our rest." He countered.

"Please." She scoffed. "As if you were sleeping." She shrugged. "Besides, I left you my weapons there as I'm sure you'd be quite unhappy to see me with them."

"You say that as if  _you_  wouldn't do the same thing if someone had trespassed into your home, near your children."

"Oh, I would confront anyone on my property, yes. Unfortunately, you made one very critical error." She said, sounding very displeased. He wasn't sure if she was unhappy with them or herself, as her expression wasn't actually aimed at him.

"What's that?" He asked. She flung herself forward, skidding in the earth before coming to a stop right in front of him. Face to face, eye to eye, and almost chest to chest — and though her chest was abundant (in the female way) it couldn't match the width of his. Stars and Garters, it took everything he had to simply clench his fists upon the gun belt he had in his hands. Everything in him wanted to seize her up and tear her limb from limb.

"I don't react well to being boxed in." She said evenly.

He blinked, processing that new information. "You're claustrophobic?"

"No." She muttered. "I just don't like it when someone cuts off my exit."

Hank made a conscious effort to suppress the Beast, because it was the only way he'd be able to think clearly. "…so… when we blocked your escape, and tried to coral you in, it made you feel the need to escape at all cost."

She nodded. "A bullet to Wolverine's head wouldn't do much harm, really. Still, it'd disorient him long enough for me to get away." She reasoned. "In fact, he was the safest one to shoot, since he'd be recover with the most ease."

"That doesn't exactly mean that you should shoot the man." Hank replied.

"Tell me you haven't wanted to knock him upside his head at least once." Mei challenged, and Hank avoided answering, rolling his eyes.

"Your visits always causes the most chaos." He observed.

She smiled at him sweetly. "And this same progeny of evils comes from our debate, from  _our_  dissensions;  _we_  are their parents and original."

For a moment he could not remember what she was talking about. Then he remembered that she was quoting Shakespeare, and the next line spilled out of him.

"Do you amend it then; it lies in you.." He swallowed the rest of the line, deciding not to continue… because.. Well, it was a little um… possessive. It was almost infuriating how she was smiling at him. Though even in this light he could tell she was blushing slightly. Somehow that was comforting.

He jumped slightly when Ororo's voice buzzed in his ear piece. "Hank, are you there? We're experiencing some sort of interference, it's blocking your tracking transmitter." She said.

He pressed into the 'talk' button of the device. "Yes, I'm here… we're… talking."

"Would you tell her I'm going ta get her for this?" Logan growled.

"Uh… Logan says, he will get even for what you did." Hank repeated, still holding down the talk button.

She made an uninterested face. "Tell him his niece sends her love."

"… did you get that?"

"Yeah." Logan grumbled, sounding mollified.

"What are you doing here?" Hank demanded, switching the commlink to open so that the others would hear their conversation.

"Getting the lay of the land." Mei said as if it were obvious.

"Why would  _you_  need to know the lay of the land here?" He asked, very frustrated at her consistent abilities to draw a situation out. It worried him; made him wonder if there was another part of her plot that he wasn't aware of yet. Something that was sneaking past them while they focused on her.

"Well, for one thing, it behooves people in our world to seek out information that may prove useful to them." She said, almost as though she were trying to educate him. As if he didn't know information was the most powerful weapon anyone in any world could possess. "Besides that, I do have a god-daughter with special needs." She reminded. "Her parents are considering  _many_ options…" She tilted her head to the side slightly. "They would be remiss if they did not at least consider the fact that this is a school  _for_  mutants, run  _by_  mutants, teaching not only a steady and worthy curriculum but also tolerance and control."

"The girl? Vivianne?" Hank asked. "They're considering enrolling her  _here_?"

"Creed must've hated that argument when it came." Wolverine's voice chuckled into his ear. Hank wasn't sure if Mei could hear that statement so he repeated it in his own way.

"I imagine that Sabertooth was not pleased with that possibility." He voiced.

"Quite the contrary." Mei said. " _He_  was the one to bring it up." She smiled at Hank's shocked expression. He imagined it must be quite amusing.

"Hank, Wolverine's tracking your scent. Keep her talking and we'll try to back you up." Ororo's voice was soft and steady. "We'll try not to surround her a second time, if that really is the problem."

"Sabertooth seems to think very highly of Xavier." Mei was saying, bringing him back into the conversation. "He knows that Vivianne's mother has no problem with homeschooling the girl, but he does worry over things like socialization…" Mei paused and sighed. "I believe he feels that she wouldn't be discriminated against here simply for being born his daughter, and he also believes that having pivotal people in her life would help her… so that she wouldn't be like him." Mei's demeanor changed, tensing slightly. She stood straighter with her feet grounded straight under each hip. "Serus on the other hand, nearly pitched a conniption fit at the mention of the idea."

"Why would her mother object so strongly?" Hank asked, shifting back slightly. If Mei was tensing up and straightening out her stance it may be hinting at something. If she were about to spring away or strike at him, he wanted to be out of striking distance but near enough to dive after her.

"She doesn't want her daughter's name or abilities jotted down on any records." Mei smiled. "There are too many people like me who actively seek information…." Her voice trailed off, and Hank could see that she was internally debating on something though he couldn't imagine what. "I had a… run-in with Nicholas Furry some time ago…" She murmured, coming to a decision.

"Furry?" Wolverine's voice came over the comm. He sounded dazed.

"Occupational hazard, as it were." Mei continued. "I doubt he's stopped looking for me… or wondering exactly what I was after."

' _Hank? Where are you?'_  Professor Xavier's mental connection was still quite strong, and Hank felt oddly safe to hear it.

' _About 2 and a half miles north of the mansion in the woods.'_  He replied.  _'How much longer till Logan finds us?'_

' _Your trail went dead a moment ago, and Logan cannot pick it up again. We cannot find you, we're receiving some sort of interference from your tracker.'_

Hank looked to Mei. "What did you do?"

"I beg your pardon?" Mei asked, confused.

Hank's mouth worked for a moment, but he couldn't think of any way of asking this question without letting her know that the X-Men were still looking for her… and him.

"The Professor says that Logan has lost my scent, they cannot find me, and something is interfering with the tracking device on my commlink."

"Oh that." Mei said with a nod. "You aren't very observant." She said as if that were the key to his problems. "Take a look at where you are."

To be honest, Hank had been staring at her the entire time in case she tried to attack him, get her guns back, or flee again. He finally looked around and was surprised to find the trees looking… very strange. The once tall-standing beach trees were.. Different. They were twisted trees that wrung together with vibrant moss growing over their mud-brown bark. The moss began as a verdant green but faded to chartreuse and then lemon yellow. Some of the growths even had flowers sprouting out of them. He nearly jumped when he felt a hand fasten to his elbow. He looked back to her warily, but her expression was almost compassionate.

"Look down, Henry." She said simply. He did, and he looked around them… They were standing in a ring of very tall mushrooms… Maybe three feet high, with chubby pale stalks and dark blueish-indigo caps speckled with dots the same color as the stalks.

"…what…I don't…" He looked up at her. "… are you saying that we're…"

"In a fairy ring." She said with a tiny nod.

A fairy ring? Shakespeare… A Midsummer Night's Dream quotes… all of it lead to one very reluctant question. "Are you… are you one of the fey folk?" He asked. She made a face, as though she were trying to consider how to explain the answer to that question.

"The short answer to that is, no. But your kind have often mistaken mine for that…and that's when they were being kind."

"I don't understand…" Hank said honestly, hoping she would elaborate. The scientist in him was bursting with questions, eager to learn what he could before she could run away again.

"The tales explaining all the answers to your questions are long and convoluted… and not entirely free for me to give you. Suffice to say, humans tend to mislabel things that they don't understand." Mei said. "Technically, I'm not a mutant, because in order to  _be_  a mutant I would have to be born human first. And I am not human." She smiled at him, perhaps seeing the unbridled curiosity in his eyes. "My ancestors travel and were given dominions between both realms, and for a time were respected by the inhabitants of both."

"You mean to hold me here?" He asked, still curious but very confused.

"No."

"Then, how do I return?" For a moment, something flickered through her eyes, but then it was gone. Hank couldn't put a name to it because of how fleeting it was.

"Close your eyes." She said. He narrowed his eyes at her and she nodded in encouragement. "Close them. And don't open them till I say so." He did so with a reluctant sigh. A strange hot-then-cool rush passed over his skin. "Alright, it's all clear." He opened them and looked down to find himself still in a ring of mushrooms, but they were nothing like the ones he'd just seen. They were tiny with flimsy brown caps and pale tan stalks. Nothing like the monstrous fungi he'd seen around him before…. Too bad he hadn't of thought to get a sample of the other mushrooms while he could.

"Hank!" Jubilee's voice cried from several yards into the woods. Hank wasn't even sure how she'd spotted him. "He's here!"

"Not much for subtlety, that one." Mei murmured, behind him. "And I suppose I'll be off then." She continued.

"Wait… what did you really come here for?" He asked, somewhat mystified.

She smiled in a maddening fashion. It told him that she was not in the giving mood at present, so he wouldn't find out why. "Oh, I got what I came for. And you should away…" her lips twitched to suppress a grin. "It's almost fairy time." And she kissed the palm of her hand and blew out her breath towards him. The wind caught him up and dragged him forcefully into the trees again. He grabbed a branch and glared at her, but she looked almost sad. Then she began to twirl in place before spinning outward and twirling just inside the ring of mushrooms.

"Hank?" Ororo asked, looking up at him. He didn't look away from the mad, maddening woman currently twirling inside the ring of mushrooms. And then, she was gone. One second she was spinning, making her own mini-tornado in the fairy ring, and then in a singular gush of wind, she was gone.

"I'm sorry, Ororo." Hank said, releasing the branch and landing in the soft grass. "She's gone."

"I'm just glad you're safe." Ororo said approaching him. It was obvious that having him just out of reach had worried her.

"She got whatever she came for." He said dejectedly.

"What could she have possibly come here for?"

Hank shook his head. "With that woman… there's really no telling."

"Should we search the grounds?" Jubilee asked. "She could still be nearby."

"That ain't a bad idea." Wolverine said with a nod.

Ororo nodded. "Considering that the Professor cannot reach her mentally, it may be that she's only fooling us into thinking she's gone." She said. "Wolverine, you take these woods. Jubilee, I want you to sweep the stables and pool house. Beast, you can take the woods on the other side of the mansion. I'll do another sweep of the skies before returning to the Institute and checking to see if the Professor has found her there." Ororo sighed worriedly before lifting herself into the air. "And keep your commlinks open so that we can hear if you should come across anything."

The searches went quickly because there was nothing for them to find. And, other than Wolverine startling a pair of deer, there was no excitement whatsoever. They all regrouped back at the mansion, and the Professor assured them that there was nothing anyone could do at this point. Hank returned to the basement and traded in his leather vest for his lab coat. He was currently working on comparing a blood sample of Vivianne's to Wolverine's in hopes of isolating the anomalies he'd found in her blood. He wasn't sure how to tell what they were, where they came from, and what they meant. After another hour and a half of work, he could honestly say only one thing. The anomalies in the girl's blood were not inherited from Sabertooth or Wolverine. This lead him to believe that the answers lay entirely within the mother's blood… but, he had no sample on hand to verify it. Knowing what Mei had said about herself, it now led him to believe that the girl's mother and Mei were of the same breed… whatever that was.

When he stretched, arching his back and hearing a few vertebra pop uncomfortably, he decided perhaps now was a good time to head for his room. He grabbed his notepad and made his way to his office, writing down his findings in short hand. When he reached his desk, he froze. There was one thing that was out of the ordinary that wasn't there when he'd come down after the ordeal with Mei. A small saucer with a single Twinkie on it and a little folded card. He carefully took the card, looking over the outside. He sniffed it, catching her scent on the paper, before opening it to see what it would say…

_Henry, I enjoyed our romp. For goodness sake, take a few more breaks while you're working. Your eyes and stomach will thank you. ~Mei_

Hank had checked… he'd checked over everything to reorient himself before beginning work. This hadn't been here when he'd returned.. That meant that she had come down here recently and without being seen. …Mad Maddening Mei had struck again.

* * *

Mei sighed in relief as she climbed the stairs to the third floor of her building. When she opened the door to her living quarters, she found Bethany laying on the couch in front of the TV watching reruns of John Stewart.

"You didn't have to wait up for me." Mei murmured, catching the girl's attention.

Bethany sat up and smiled sleepily. "You'd do the same if it was me." She said, rubbing at her eyes.

Mei nodded with a chuckle. "True enough." She said. "But I'm home now. No need to stay up longer."

Bethany nodded and wrapped herself up in the blanket before standing. "Good. I was so close to dropping off." She padded over to her room. "Night, Mei." She said softly from the doorway.

"Goodnight, Bethany." Mei responded with a smile. The girl yawned before closing the door to her room. Mei chuckled softly, hearing her flop down on her bed. Evidently she had been very tired.

Mei walked into her own room, shutting the door firmly behind her. She changed out of her skin-tight black clothes and into something a little more frumpy and comfortable for sleeping in. She flipped open her cell phone and pressed 3, making it automatically dial Serus's number.

"Yes?" Serus asked upon answering.

"All of the information on Vivianne is on Henry McCoy's private server, which isn't connected to any other computer or the internet. Also, he does not refer to her by her actual name. He only calls her V."

"That should please her." Serus murmured with a chuckle. "She loved that movie about V for Vendetta."

"Oh yes. The one with Hugo Weaving. I quite liked it myself." Mei said, sitting on her bed. "As far as I could see, they do have the means to deal with Vivianne and her mutation. She would be… quite comfortable there." Mei admitted a little reluctantly.

She heard Serus sigh over the line. "We'll be discussing it quite a lot before making any decisions. Ultimately, it will be her decision though." There was a beat of silence as both women considered the possible future. "Anything else?"

"Yes, one other thing." Mei murmured. "Xavier has returned, albeit in another body."

"…now that  _is_  interesting." Serus said. "I assume you have other calls to make?"

"Yes. One more at least." Mei replied.

"I'll leave you to it then." Serus said before hanging up. Mei retrieved a card she'd gotten from Victor and eyed the numbers on it. She carefully looked between the card and the keypad of her cell as she dialed.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Mystique. I need to have a word with your boss." Mei purred.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :) Peace out.


	10. Signals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgotten - Chapter 10 - Signals
> 
> Marvel does what Marvel does, and I do what I do :) That's the simplest way to 'splain it. And here's what I do :) Enjoy…

* * *

Mortimer sat on his bed, impatiently waiting for the next mission. He had his own room at least. That much was going for him. But mostly his life had settled into a series of self-loathing masochism. It occurred to him during the first week living in the new base. While it was wonderful to see Telissa more often, it certainly hadn't helped him to get over his little crush on her. Sure, he was well fed, but watching as other guys hit on her was infuriating. What was worse... he had no right to say anything about it. It wasn't like she was his.. it wasn't like she'd ever be his.

He shook himself out of his bad mood and decided a short walk wouldn't be amiss.

"There you are." Mystique said, upon seeing him. "Do me a favor and find out what's bothering Telissa so much."

"Why should I?" He asked indignantly. Mystique gave him a bored look.

"Because I'm asking you to. Besides, she likes talking to you, and she seems  _really_  depressed." Mortimer made a face at that. Telissa liked talking to everyone. He wasn't special. Still, if something was bothering her...

"I'll swing by the kitchen."

"Thanks." Mystique murmured, walking down the hall towards Magneto's office.

"Not doing it for you." Mortimer mumbled, but he doubted she heard him with her cell phone ringing at that moment. When Mortimer entered the mess hall all he saw was Pyro and Avalanche sitting at one of the tables. Mortimer didn't really care for Avalanche that much, but at the very least the man would follow orders. He and Pyro had become fast friends... not too surprising since they were both around the same age and into the same things (destruction and women).

"Hey, Toad." Pyro greeted.

"Hey. Something up with Telissa?" Mortimer asked. "Mystique asked me to check on her."

Pyro nodded, his worried eyes drifted to the door that lead to the scullery hall. "Yeah. She sounds really down, but she wouldn't say why." he said with a shrug.

Mortimer nodded. "Guess I'm up then." he murmured before walking through the swinging door. He wasn't one to know exactly what made a restaurant-grade kitchen so spectacular, but Telissa had certainly put this one to rights. It wasn't that the place had been filthy, but she'd cleaned in here until the stainless steel was nearly reflective. Right now she was sitting cross-legged on the island she usually prepared food on...so he could assume she had finished putting the food for the day out. Her side faced the door, and her hunched posture almost looked painful. She had a small bowl of something that looked very cheesy and was using a small fork to eat it. Pyro and Myst were right...she looked depressed.

"It can't be that bad." He murmured, gaining her attention. When her eyes settled on him she smiled brightly, twisting the knife in his gut just a degree to the right.

"Hey, Mortimer." She said softly.

"Hey, yourself. What's going on?" he asked, carefully approaching the island she was on. He tried not to watch too closely as her spine uncurled and she straightened her back upward.

"Nothing."

He stared at her, disbelievingly. "Yeah. Right. Try that on again." He said, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. "Come on now." He coaxed. "Everyone's talking about how sad you seem today... what's going on?"

She shrugged dully, and at first he wondered if it'd take a bit more prying to get her to talk. "It's... a bunch of things."

"What sort of things?" He asked, planting his hands against the edge of the island and peering down into the bowl she was eating out of. "And what are you eating?"

She smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes...her beautiful eyes. "It's green bean casserole." she said, tipping the bowl towards him so that he could see. "Easiest comfort food in the world. Just need to mix green beans with cream of mushroom and queso cheese and heat it up in the oven for a bit."

"Uh huh..."

"It's..." He expression faltered slightly. "It's our favorite." She said softly.

A heavy beat of silence clung in the air as he pondered that tiny sentence. "Our." He said, knowing and yet curious if this was what he thought it was.

"It's silly." She said, ducking her head and letting her hair cascade over the sides of her face.

"Hey, I don't mind a little silly." He assured. "Tell me." Telissa considered him for a second.

"It's our birthday." she murmured, her voice catching slightly. He nodded sympathetically. Most of the times he found Telissa down in the dumps it did have something to do with her siblings... He'd never thought to ask her when her birthday was, he'd been too busy. Of course she was lonesome for them on today of all days.

"You miss them." He said simply, and she nodded. She sniffed loudly and quickly put another bite of casserole into her mouth.

"Like I said. Silly."

"That's not silly, Telissa." Mortimer said.

"Missing them doesn't help to bring them back." Telissa countered. "I could fill flasks with tears and it wouldn't buy me anything." Mortimer puzzled over that expression. The woman really did have the weirdest sayings.

"But it's not silly to miss someone you care about." he said.

She sighed and looked up at him. "What about you?"

"huh?"

She smiled. "Who are you missing?" she asked.

He shook his head, an amused expression on his face. "There's... no one for me to miss, Telissa." He said. He tried to think quickly to deflect this line of questioning. "You said it was a bunch of things. What else is bothering you?"

She blushed, looking down. Was she embarrassed about something? And why did blushing make her look that much more beautiful?

"I..uh.. I may've been a little rude... to you." she said.

"What? When?" He asked, startled. He honestly couldn't remember the woman being anything of the sort.

"Well, not to your face." She said. "I... I objectified you a bit."

Mortimer's expression froze in confusions and he shook his head in hopes of reordering his thoughts. "You're going to have to explain this in details."

She sighed. "Pyro and Avalanche were boasting, like always." she started and he nodded. Those two. They were best buds, but always trying to show each other up. "And Avalanche starts saying he's the 'studliest' between the two of them." Telissa rolled her eyes at that, which Mortimer mirrored in his own way. "So I walk in and take their trays, because they're too damn lazy to actually put them up like normal people." She huffed. "And Avalanche asks me of the guys in the brotherhood, which would I rather.. uh.. have relations with."

Mortimer's eyes bugged out for a second. "Oh, I am gonna kill him." he said looking back towards the door.

"It gets worse." Telissa grumbled. "I wasn't having a good day, and it all just seemed so trivial and stupid, and I knew he was baiting me, figuring I'd say him since Pyro's more like my little brother." She sighed heavily. "And I said you."

"Whua..." Mortimer swallowed, hoping that the sandpaper in his throat would dislodge. "Wait, what now?"

Telissa's expression turned speculative. "That's exactly what he said." She murmured before shaking her head. "I then repeated myself and when he asked why. I said obviously because all Avalanche could do is shake things to shit, all Pyro can do is burn things up, but the Toad has amazing muscles in his thighs... and then there's the tongue." she shook her head. "I reduced you to your parts." she spat in self-disgust, but Mortimer was in a bit of a daze. He had never thought about his ability to jump (strong thigh muscles) or his tongue as a plus when it came to sex... Then again, that was mostly colored by the fact that most women didn't find them to be a plus. Or at least, they assumed it wasn't a plus.

"You... I..." He chuckled. "Naughty." he said at last, unable to process his thoughts and words at the same time. He could feel himself blushing though, and that was something he'd never done... well, okay, he'd been a kid at the time, but still. No one made Toad blush. He was supposed to be cold-blooded, after all.

She chuckled softly. "I know. Still, it did shut him up."

"Oh, I imagine so." He chuckled. "You're... a lot more devious than I've given you credit for." he said, noting her smirk. It made the joy in the moment turn slightly sour... it was always like this. He couldn't help but remember the times they'd talked. Every single time he discovered something new and interesting about her that made him care for her that much more. This crush was beginning to crush him.

He cleared his throat loudly. "Uh... Well, I should... go and check in with the boss. See about this new mission he wants me out on." Of course, Mortimer was partially bullshitting his way out of this situation. He couldn't do anything to help Telissa feel better about her siblings or anything, so there was no point in him staying. Still, she looked happier now that they'd talked. That is until now...

"You're going out  _again_?" She asked, looking slightly disappointed. This was ridiculous. He was not her best friend or her babysitter. He wasn't beholden to her in any way.

"Stuff needs doin'." Was all he said, but he did manage to soften his tone from the harsh one he'd planned to use. She seemed to contemplate the counter top she was sitting on carefully.

"Oh." she said softly, setting her bowl down behind her. "Right."

He was doing that creepy stare thing again. He wasn't a telepath, and he certainly would never understand women... but he just stared at her quietly as she thought. What in the world was going on in her head? Why did she always look so crestfallen? It was maddening. He wondered if he'd ever figure out how to keep her smiling.

"Right." He muttered. Better to rip this Band-Aid off quick.

"Mortimer?" She asked softly, turning towards him. He blinked, in confusion when she uncrossed her legs. They dangled off the table on either side of his hips.

"Wha—" His question died of shock along with him, when she leaned forward, her hands carefully braced on either side of his neck, her lips delicately brushing over his. For an instant, he was nothing but heat, and it was impossible to think or move or breathe. It was chaste, and simple, and sweet, and dear GOD, what is air?

She pulled away, looking up at him concernedly. "I'm sorr—"

"No." He gasped, leaning into her as his hands pulled her legs on either side of him. He wrapped his arms around her, devouring her lips and pulling her body flush to his. Her kiss had been glancing... his was consuming. He needed her more than air, and fuck it that's why God made noses anyway. He could taste the spicy cheese and greens she'd been eating and something else that he couldn't define. He felt her hands slowly slip up his neck, her fingers tangling into his hair, and he groaned into her mouth. One of his hands traced up her spine while the other lingered over her hip.

Finally they pulled apart with mutual gasps, and she drooped, panting heavily against his chest. "Mortimer, please... Let me learn to walk before you make me run." She murmured.

Mortimer's body tensed when the reality came crashing in. Her kiss had been giving, but his had taking. She had been offering him something, and he greedily demanded more. And... she didn't appear to be angry about the entire thing. She should be yelling at him, she should be furious and never want to see him again. Did that mean.. did she want this? Want more of this? Was this her way of telling him.? ... This was impossible. She had no idea how impossible it all was. Because kissing and touching and sex, that was all one thing, but she deserved so much more. And hell, he had no idea how to deal with chocolates and hearts and rainbows and feelings. This was impossible.

He jumped back from her, landing against the far wall. It was odd, because he needed to reach out a hand and steady himself against the wall. His jumps never disoriented him so much. He panted as well, trying to get enough air to breath properly again and failing. "I'm sorry." he said. "I have to..." she blinked at him in shock, obviously unaware of everything going on in his head. "Sorry." he repeated lamely, hitting the door to the kitchen at a jog.

Lucky for him both Pyro and Avalanche had moved on. No one was in the mess hall to question why he looked so hunted. He continued his jog until he reached Magneto's office door. He rapped at in with demanding knocks before being allowed in.

"Mortimer? What?" Mystique began.

"Mission." He said simply.

Mystique and Magneto exchanged a look. Magneto then considered him carefully before nodding. "As it happens, there is something I'd like you to check on."

He nodded. "Good."

"We've received a call from woman named Mei." Magneto murmured.

"And?"

"She has informed us that my dear friend Charles has returned to his school." Magneto finished.

Mortimer blinked. "Wow... that's... Huh." He felt stumped. "So... you want me to confirm that?"

"We've already checked out her story." Mystique said. "What we don't know is how this 'Mei' received this information, and how or why she managed to contact us."

"Oh. Right. Investigate Mei." Mortimer said with a firm nod.

"Not only that." Magneto elaborated. "It seems this Mei has quite a reputation for infiltration…" He paused, taking a deep settling breath. "..and finding those who have been lost." He made a face. "As of yet, we haven't had any leads on finding Mr. Maximoff's sister. I would like you to handle this as delicately as possible, if only so that we can keep her as a reliable resource." Pietro Maximoff, or Quicksilver as he'd taken to calling himself, had shown up only a few days ago complaining about his sister Wanda being abducted. Magneto had promised to use every resource available to find her…evidently he wanted to include this Mei among those resources.

"Sure, sure." Toad muttered nodding. "I can do delicate work. I'll smooth things over and ask her what we need to know while I'm finding out about her."

"Are you alright, Toad?" Mystique asked.

"Fine." He said nodding quickly. "I just need a mission." He hoped that he was right.

* * *

Victor returned to the floor of his penthouse for the evening, and found something upsetting to greet him. He knew that Vivianne had taken to training for hours on end just to keep herself occupied and still fit. When he stepped off the elevator, his ears picked up on a different timber resonating within his personal gym…one that decidedly too baritone to be his daughter. He found Vivianne and her trainer. Kedar Yarrow as Serus had called him, were in there together…unsupervised. He reckoned he couldn't really be angry about that. Serus was pretty adamant that the boy was trust worthy. But…he just didn't like the idea of having to share Vivianne. Not yet…

Kedar was wearing the sweats he seemed to live in along with a sleeveless shirt. Vivianne was wearing nearly shapeless pink gym shorts and a gray sleeves shirt over a black leotard…and her hands were on fire. Victor wondered if she'd done that purposefully, if she were trying to increase her tolerance for pain or something. Only, Vivianne didn't seem to be in pain at all as she watched the fire dance about her fingers. Now that he was looking, he realized the fire wasn't burning her… Kedar was observing this as well, his left elbow resting in his right hand as his left hand cradled his chin thoughtfully. His eyes snapped to Victor, and Vivianne's eyes followed his gaze. Her expression was one of pure delight.

"Look!" She cried like an excited toddler eager to impress. The flames in her hand grew in a single wave before shrinking into the form of two knives. She held the knives in each hand and threaded them through her fingers as though she were used to juggling knives. Though he had no part in teaching her this, something in Victor swelled up with pride and joy.

Kedar chuckled. "Very impressive, Vivianna." Vivianne beamed at Kedar and Victor felt as though he'd swallowed glass. He tried to school his expression into a proud smile.

"Yeah, that's something I haven't seen before." He said. "M'not sure how you're doing it, but that's pretty damn extraordinary." The full force of Vivianne's smile turned on him, and he knew he'd been right to compliment her as opposed to act out on his resentment of her trainer. He sauntered closer, looking at her hands speculatively before asking the question that he'd really been wanting to know. "How long've you two been at this, anyway?"

"Uh…" Vivianne's eyes wandered to the clock on the wall. "Oh gracious… has it really been 2 hours?"

"So it would seem." Kedar noted, scratching his chin.

"Can you turn that on and off at will?" Victor asked motioning to the blade of flames in her hands.

"Yeah!" She said. "Well, if I focus enough." She corrected with a self-conscious smile.

He nodded, an impressed expression on his face. "Nice. That'll really come in handy."

"And the more I work on it, the more I'll be able to do." She told him excitedly. He couldn't help but smile indulgently at her. Her mood was so much like a child showing their parent the high score she'd made on a test.

He nodded. "That's great, but if I know you, it's probably been a while since you've eaten anything decent." He smirked to soften the criticism. "Why don't you go find your mother and see if she needs help with supper? I'm sure she'll be wantin' to hear 'bout your progress as well."

Vivianne nodded, the fire in her hands disappearing without so much as a puff of smoke as she made her way towards the door. Then she looked back curiously. "You aren't coming?" She asked.

"No, I got some questions for Kedar." Victor murmured. Vivianne eyed him with sinking expression on her face. Almost as if she was suddenly realizing the number of ways that could go badly. But she nodded absently before exiting the room.

"It truly is fascinating how quickly she is learning to connect to her elements." Kedar said, staring at the now closed door. Obviously the boy assumed Victor wanted to talk about Vivianne's training… it wasn't entirely untrue, but it wasn't  _all_  he was interested in learning.

"She's my daughter… I can be very adaptable when I've a need for it." He said before his eyes landed on Kedar. Kedar didn't shift under his gaze despite the fact that Victor was sizing him up. Victor respected that in a way… he also hated it. "She  _is_  my daughter…." He said again. "Are you …completely aware of our situation?"

"I believe I am… but I may not be following you." Kedar replied diplomatically.

"I only  _just_  learned that Vivianne existed. But, from the moment I clamped eyes on her, something in me just knew. I wasn't aware that she was mine or anything, but I knew that somehow I was responsible for her." Victor met his eyes. "You get what I'm saying?"

Kedar nodded contemplatively. "Paternal urges are not solely for those that are tied to us by blood." He said. "Zivon, Serus's father, is of no relation to me. Still, he looks on me as though I were his… not because of blood, but because of the love he and my father shared as boyhood friends." Kedar smiled.

Victor looked away, eyeing the door Vivianne had just left through. "I find… that I'm a very territorial animal." He said.

"Ah." Kedar's expression changed slightly. It wasn't full-on nervousness, it was more enlightened with an edge of nerves. Good. The boy understood he was in a dangerous position. "You have nothing to fear from me… I am keenly aware of Vivianna's age." He soothed. "I assure you, I would not try to take what is yours."

Victor's expression changed into grudging admittance. "Now wait just a second… I'm not saying that  _exactly_." Kedar seemed very confused at this. Victor sighed, trying to piece the words together in his brain before they hit his throat. "I'm not saying… I mean, maybe you'd be good for her. Good ta her. So, I'm not saying that I don't want anything happening."

"You  _wish_  me to.." Kedar began, sounding more incredulous with each word.

"I ain't saying that either." Victor grumbled. "If something were ta happen…. Something mutual and natural… If you were ta see her in a new light…." He shrugged. "I  _am_  territorial… but I'm  _also_  adaptable." Victor let out a long heavy breath. "Given time, I may even come ta like your presence. But you'd have ta give me time… and the truth."

It seemed that Victor had shocked Kedar into speechlessness. Victor wasn't exactly complaining about that. Still, he knew it couldn't last.

"I am.. very confused." Kedar admitted. "I certainly did not anticipate this, and I haven't the wit to answer you in any way."

"Look." Victor growled, messaging his brow with one hand before continuing. "All's I'm really saying is…. there is an aggressive beast in me. I don't know how long it'll take, but for a while every time I walk in a room and you're there, I'm most likely going ta want ta growl at you. But, the rational part of me understands that you are good for this family." He paused, putting weight on his words. "I trust you with my daughter. Maybe I'd even trust you with her on a very permanent basis, in any way that that might develop. You seem like the sort that may be up to the task. " Victor paused, giving him a level stare. "Don't fuck that trust up." Kedar considered those words and gave a single nod. "Good. Now… maybe you could explain ta me why Vivianne's suddenly able ta catch fire."

Kedar actually chuckled at that, some of the tension leaving him. "Well.. the easiest way to explain it would have to be to say it's just an element that she connects to."

"…right."

Kedar smiled. "Among our people we all can connect to or manipulate certain elements."

"Earth, Wind, and Fire?" Victor joked.

"To say the least." Kedar said.

"Suppose Water's in there too."

"Yes. And Light, Sound, Electricity, and Dark." Victor's brow drew down in confusion. "There are more than just the four basic ones." Kedar confirmed. "Still, Vivianna's quick adaptation to fire has made me believe that it was not the first element she connected to."

"Come again?"

Kedar's face became somewhat strained as he tried to think of a way to explain it simply. "The most basic elements that we can all connect to are the first four; Fire, Earth, Water and Air." He explained. "Many of our own learn to manipulate these elements, but only through connecting with them and their masters can anyone advance. Vivianna's first element was one she connected to without even realizing it, and it allowed her to manipulate Fire."

"Well then, which element did she start with?" Victor asked curiously.

"Air." Kedar said. "It is why fire burns strongly in her hands, why it will not consume her, but while she can shape it, manipulate it, she cannot hold it or form it any great length of time. She is constantly connected to the air element without even trying." Kedar smiled fondly at that, and Victor felt the alpha male inside him want to growl.

"You seem… I don't know the word."

"Air is an element I have yet to fully connect to. I can manipulate it, but it is not easy." He explained. "I am too rooted in earth." He said as if disappointed in himself. "Many people do not fully appreciate the Air element or its Master. Air is free and easy, it can be unpredictable and whimsical. Many people find it too playful or capricious… but Air can cut through the earth's bones and turn rocks into projectiles, it can turn water to ice, and a fire fueled with air will never die. Not to mention, it is a key in all transportation… If she can continue on this path, your child will never be held against her will. For wherever air is, she can be."

Victor blinked in confusion, totally baffled by this onslaught of information. "Wait, you're saying she could.. teleport?"

Kedar nodded. "She could learn to move through thin air. She could fly and teleport to any place in which air flows."

"You said, 'if she can continue'… what would that take?"

Kedar groaned. "It is both difficult and… not." He said ominously. "Vivianna is very focused right now on furthering her study of Fire. Consider how quickly she's learned to manipulate it, I can see why. This isn't bad, but it is ill advised. She will never advance in Fire until she's finished her study of Air. In order to do that, she must connect with the Master of the element. Lord Kaze."

"I'm sorry, did you just say 'Lord Raze'?"

"Kaze. With a K."

"Oh." Victor muttered with an absent nod. One question was floating around in his head. "… does… has anyone ever mastered  _all_  the elements?"

"The four basics? The simple answer is yes. It can be done." Kedar's expression became firm. "But none can  _divide_ their attention. The element that she has connected to first  _must_  be studied first. Only once that branch of study has been fully explored can she continue onto something else."

Victor nodded. "So… This Lord Kaze… how would she 'connect' with him?" Victor really didn't like the way Kedar was eyeing him. It was if the man was debating how much he should say.

"Difficult and yet not." Kedar said at last. "She must enter his realm and beseech his Patronage."

"Uh huh…" Victor drawled, conveying his confusion in two syllables.

"Essentially, she must travel very far into the sky and then throw herself off whatever vehicle she's used to attain the height… Free fall, as it were."

Victor stared at him, completely dumbfounded. "Uh.. and… that's… Ok." He shook his head, trying to clear it. "So, then they connect and it's all good?"

"In theory."

"What the fuck you mean, 'in theory'?" Victor demanded.

"I mean that she will be  _heard_  by Lord Kaze, but that does not mean he will aid her." Kedar clarified. "If she continued to fall without his appearance, without someone to swoop in and rescue her she would smash into the earth and die." Kedar sighed. "It is a… leap of faith, as it were."

"But… Okay, so let's say they don't connect but she's saved… what then?"

"She could jump again." At Victor's scoff he continued. "It would show diligence if nothing else…. Lord Kaze is very like his element. There are few who enter his realm seeking his patronage who meet such an end."

"But some have." Victor summed up.

"I do not want you to say I have been dishonest." Kedar said. "There is a chance, slim though it is, that Lord Kaze would find Vivanna unworthy and turn away from her. In that event, she would be at the mercy of gravity."

Victor let out a long sigh, forcing himself to calm down. "Right. You're right ta tell me all this." He confirmed albeit shaky as hell.

"While I am being perfectly honest?" Kedar continued. "I don't think that would happen." He said with conviction. "Lord Kaze can be remarkably child-like, but he is never unjustly cruel."

"Good ta know."

"You should discuss this with your wife." Kedar announced.

"My wi... Serus, you mean. We aren't exactly—"

Kedar laughed; openly, loudly, without hesitancy. "You have not gained a piece of paper from your government or performed any rituals among kin and countrymen, but she is bound to you nonetheless." He announced. "It would take a force stronger than any I have known to separate her from you."

Something about that made Victor uncommonly happy…and shocked… and moved in a way he'd never felt before. It was happening a lot now that Serus and Vivianne were in his life.

"Still Serus will know the risks. She'll understand and be able to explain to Vivianna." Kedar surmised. "I imagine her mother's words will help Vivianna to make the right decision." He chuckled, shaking his head. "I suppose I should have realized this would happen."

"Whadaya mean?"

"Vivianna connecting so easily to air." He said with a smile. "Technically, it does run in the family… after all, Serus connected to Air first as well."

Victor's eyes widened. "What?"

"I believe it is time for me to leave." Kedar said. "You need to speak with your family." Victor nodded, showing him out.

"You have no idea." He said as soon as the elevator doors had closed.

He was surprised, again, to find the dishes out and the smell of food heavy in the air as he entered the penthouse. Also, he was surprised to be under Vivianne's glare as she leaned back against the wall.

"Busy day." He murmured to her conversationally. He was trying very hard to forget Kedar's words about Serus, but it was difficult. "You… find out anything interesting?"

"I read this one article." Vivianne said, a very snarky smirk on her face.

"…oh?"

"Yeah. It said that statistically speaking most men completely support pre-marital sex until they father daughters." She bit out. Serus, who was looking through one of the top cabinets for something, turned and glared at Vivianne. Though, Vivianne couldn't see her mother from where she was, it was obvious that she could feel her glare. She fidgeted nervously shifting farther away from Serus's general direction.

Victor actually laughed. "That sounds 'bout right." He said, curious about the heavy weight pressing in on his chest.

"I'm hearing a tone that I don't like." Serus announced, eyeing both of them.

"It's fine." Victor said, holding up a hand to dissuade her.

"No, it's not fine." Vivianne countered, glaring at him. "What did you say to Yarrow?"

"First off, I'd like ta point out that you don't know what I said ta him at all, so you don't even know if you have the right ta get upset." He growled.

"You were talking to Kedar?" Serus asked, moseying over to his side.

"Yes. I wanted ta know why my daughter was on fire." Victor said. "He's a good teacher. He should know how to explain it."

"Ah."

"I also wanted him ta know that if I look like I'm glaring at him, it's just because I'm territorial." Victor seconded. "But that I understood how much he was needed in this family."

"oh.." Vivianne said, looking down guiltily.

"Yeah. I'm not a complete idgit." He grunted. "He said that Vivianne needs ta back off on studying Fire for now."

"Really?" Serus asked.

"He said that? Why?" Vivianne seconded. She sounded so crestfallen.

"He said that Vivianne hasn't connected ta Fire, she's just manipulating it." Victor reiterated. "The element she's really connected to is Air."

"Air?" Vivianne asked, her head lolling back as she rolled her eyes. "That's just terrific." She said sarcastically.

"Hey, watch it. Air's a great element. It's what your mother connected to first." Victor reminded. Vivianne's gaze snapped between the two of them in confusion.

"oh.. Uh." From her expression Victor could tell that she was surprised he knew that. Whether or not Serus was surprised, she certainly didn't show it. "Really?" Vivianne asked her mother.

Serus nodded. "Yes."

"… I always thought you connected with water first." Vivianne mused.

Serus shook her head. "No. That's Savrana's element." Serus smiled. "I connected with Air first… just like my mother."

"Grand Mother Iversa?" Vivianne asked, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. It bloomed into a full smile when Serus nodded.

"Kedar seemed kinda jealous about it, actually." Victor said.

"Really?" Vivianne sounded so surprised her tone rose to an almost squealing pitch.

"He said Air is one'a the most versatile elements and he has yet ta fully connect to it."

"He's right." Serus said. "Kedar is a good teacher, a good trainer, but a free spirit he is not. Nor is he spontaneous or able to think outside the box."

Vivianne seemed to process that before nodding. She eyed Victor curiously. "So..the two of you talked about my training?"

"Yes. I asked about the fire first, because it kind of shocked the pants off'a me ta walk in and see you on fire."

Vivianne chuckled. "Yeah.. sorry about that."

"Right. As long as you're not experimentin' on your pain tolerance." Victor muttered.

"What?" Vivianne asked. "Why would I.."

He shrugged. "Happens ta a lot of regenerators… I went through a phase like that once. I felt like… if I could increase my tolerance fer pain, I'd be a lot stronger." He shrugged.

"Is that true?"

With a weary sigh, he admitted, "Yes. But..it's not a good practice ta get into."

"But that's not something we should be talking about, really." Serus said. "Right now we need to focus on what comes next for you."

"Yes." Victor said with a nod. He'd had enough of talking about Kedar.

"If you're actually connecting to Air so easily that you can manipulate Fire, then… all you really need to do now is work on basic technique and then connect to Lord Kaze."

Vivianne nodded, her eyes staring off into space. "I see." She murmured. Her eyes snapped to Serus. "Would you be taking over my training?" She asked sounding both eager and nervous at the same time.

"Kedar would be near-by. I doubt he'd pass up the chance to observe a master Aeris in full training mode." Serus admitted. "But, yes, I would."

Conversation continued this way for a long time. Dinner seemed to drag on as Vivianne bombarded her mother with questions. Victor tried to remain in the loop as support for Serus, but it wasn't something he was used to at all. Still, he managed, and if Vivianne realized that he was completely clueless, she never tipped her hand. Finally, Vivianne was off to her room to do.. whatever it was she did when she was alone. Victor reminded himself to breathe often as Serus cleared the table. He tried to order his thoughts and keep things simple. He didn't want to fight with Serus, but he felt as though she'd been lying to him all this time.

"Victor." Serus called his name softly. "Just ask me." She said, staring at him from the other side of the table.

Victor sighed. "You never told me any of this." He said. "All this… elemental magic, or whatever it is."

"You're right. There's a lot that I haven't told you. Mostly because I've been told to keep the secrets I've been born with as well as I can. But also because you left before I could decide whether or not it was something I could trust you with." Serus said as she slowly approached his side. He had to nod at that. "There is much… very very much… that I haven't told you, that I'm still afraid to tell you." He looked at her in confusion. "I'm afraid that what I tell you may alter your opinion of me."

"It wouldn't." Victor maintained. "You're mine and I'm yours and nothing changes that." He said with absolute certainty. "Maybe… Maybe it's about time we made that official." He said.

Serus's eyebrows rose. "If that's a proposal, it's piss poor at best."

He chuckled. "Never was one for romance." He looked to her hopefully. "But maybe we could talk about it…"

Serus nodded, a fond smile on her face. "We have a lot to talk about."

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a horrible person for not updating this more. I've been working a lot more on writing my own stories, and a lot of time has been given to a collaboration fan fic that I'm doing with a friend :3 An Avengers fan fic (oh the feels). Hope you liked! :) Peace out.


	11. Brick House

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgotten - Chapter 11 - Brick House
> 
> ...this really didn't go the way that I thought that it would... but it is what it is, and I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Ok, so, JayLaw, you are awesome :D Your reviews were very uplifting, and they really motivated me to keep writing :) Thank you so much for taking the time and encouraging me.
> 
> And, JeneFaner? Thank you for your review :3 Sometimes I'm a little worried that this story goes places that even I don't anticipate, and I get a little nervous because I don't know if readers will just go with me on this. It's so good to hear that the story is good enough that you actually want to keep reading it, even through the twists & turns.
> 
> Marvel does what Marvel does, and I do what I do :) That's the simplest way to 'splain it. And here's what I do :) Please do Enjoy…

* * *

Though Victor was glad that he could come home and  _not_  find Vivianne on fire… he had to admit the alternative was not ideal. He very carefully, very quietly, and with as few sudden movements as possible, snuck into the gym. Not that he really needed to worry about being seen because both Serus and Vivianne were too focused on trying to blast the bejesus out of each other to even register that he was there. Kedar was leaning back against the wall near the door, watching with avid interest, his eyes swinging back and forth… but he was about as calm as ever, completely unshaken by the quick-draw blasts of the two women in front of him. It looked more like he was watching a Ping-Pong tournament than a sparring match… Then again… with Serus and Vivianne firing attacks back and forth, deflecting, summersaulting, going nearly weightless as they spun into the air and landing with hardly a sound, perhaps it was more like Ping-Pong…. Dangerous, air attack Ping-Pong.

Kedar glanced over at him, his face a mask of stern indifference. He only nodded his greeting, which Victor returned joining him against the wall.

"They been at it for a while?"

Kedar shrugged. "About 40 minutes, give or take." He muttered. Victor eyed the man clinically. Something was slightly off with him today. He seemed… tense. Victor's eyes went to his mate and cub. Vivianne was sweating profusely, a thick line of moisture darkening each side of her shirt, and her hair though braided to keep it out of the way was soaked around the scalp. Meanwhile, Serus looked like she could've been walking in a breezy midsummer's day for all the exertion she showed.

Serus swung hard, her arm slicing through the air, and an invisible shockwave hit Vivianne head-on. Vivianne braced herself, trying to remain grounded, but she found herself lifted off the ground and spinning through the air, completely incapable of distinguishing up from down. Victor marveled at the way she landed on all fours against the far wall, holding herself there for a split second as though she were that Spider-Man kid, before launching herself up and looping down onto her feet neatly. He chuckled mentally… his daughter had quiet little cat feet.

"How's she doin'?" He asked as an aside to Kedar.

"She's amazing." Kedar replied, and something in his tone rubbed Victor the wrong way. He sounded genuinely fascinated but not in a very clinical fashion. He slowly turned to glare at Kedar, and the man's face scrunched up into a scowl. "Do  _not_  give me those eyes. I was only referring to her abilities." He explained, a single hand motioning out to the dueling duo, who appeared to be rapidly twirling by one another in mid-air in an attempt to try more direct combat. "The fact that this is her third day of training, and that she has held her ground against a Master Aeris for this long is nothing short of a miracle." He shook his head slightly. "Most of Serus's attacks are rapid-fire, she specializes in hitting opponents so fast that they  _cannot_  recover. Even with regeneration, this is incredible."

"Hm." Victor grunted still unconvinced he had nothing to worry about, his gaze going back to the show in front of him.

His eyebrows hiked up when Vivianne dove down, striking the ground at Serus's feet. This caused a massive pulse of air to fan out and up into Serus's face. It didn't lift her off the ground like Serus's attacks on Vivianne had, but it did catch her by surprise. She had to block fast as Vivianne swung at her, the blow causing another massive wave of air to cascade over Serus. Vivianne's eyes widened at Serus's unmoving stance. Serus drew her other hand up and snapped her fingers between the two of them, and Vivianne actually shrieked as a tiny pin-prick of air compressed and then exploded, sending her flying back against the opposite wall. Vivianne staggered forward, but bent as she panted in place with her hands on her knees.

"Enough." Serus said with a smile. " _That_  was pretty spectacular." She walked over to her daughter, looping her arm with Vivianne's to give her a bit of support so that she would walk upright.

"It was?" Vivianne said while panting still.

Serus chuckled. "That was  _Sunder_ , Vivo." Vivianne's head came up, wobbling slightly, as though her neck wasn't quite strong enough to support the full weight of her head.

"My….my everything feels weird." Vivianne murmured as Serus lead her closer to Victor and Kedar.

"After a  _Sunder_ , I would think so." Kedar announced. He looked to Victor. "It's the strongest Aeris spell there is. It generates not only air, but force… so it's a lot like a bomb going off."

"What yield?" Victor asked, suddenly concerned. He'd been a little too close to an explosion or two in his time… the after effects were not pleasant.

"That depends on the caster." Serus informed. "So far, my strongest is about 16 kilotons."

"16?" Victor asked, aghast. He gave a single humorless chuckle. "Christ, Serus, the Little Boy was only 12 ta 18 kilotons, and Hiroshima lost hundreds of thousands." He shook his head. "Where the hell you practice this shit?"

"We have our ways." Serus said somewhat enigmatically. Something like that usually meant 'It'd be too hard to explain it all now, but I'll tell you later'. "You forget though, there's no fire, heat, or radiation generated with this… only force and wind. Still, the force can do serious damage… depending on the caster."

"Does all of this magic depend on the caster?"

Kedar nodded. "There's a base line effect for all spells, but any caster worth their salt will be able to manipulate the effect of any spell."

"Huh…" Victor grunted. He eyed Vivianne with mild concern. Her insides were probably still in shock from the bomb. "You alright?"

"Yeah…" She said half-heartedly, a hand resting on her belly as if she had a mild stomach ache. "Yeah, I'll be dancing soon enough."

Victor nodded, looking to Serus. "What's the verdict?"

"Already she can adequately perform  _Call_ ,  _Manipulate_ , and  _Resistance_  … I think I even detected a  _Breeze Arrow_ in there." Serus said with a smile. "The only other beginner spells for beginners are  _Elevation_  and the  _Air Bomb_. She's practically ready for  _The Walk_ … Ideally, I'd like to teach her  _Summon Aid_  first…" Serus finished.

Victor stared at her. "What… does all that mean?"

"The first spells that I mentioned up till  _Air Bomb_  are all beginner spells.  _The Walk_  is the final test… the way to connect to Lord Kaze.  _Summon Aid_  is a spell that summons a… pet I suppose is the right word." Serus said with a shrug. "In this case, we'd focus on summoning a Seiriex. Seiriex are minions of Lord Kaze." Serus smiled. "They look like, uh… well, large fox-faced bat birds." Victor shook his head again in an attempt to clear it. "It has a body and wings and feathers like a bird, with grasping clawed feet and a foxlike face. It's very hard to fully describe."

"Wow…."

Serus nodded. She patted Vivianne's elbow. "You hungry, hon?"

Vivianne looked doubtful. "I dunno if I can eat yet…"

"We'll test the waters with some soup." Serus advised. "Would you like to join us for supper, Kedar?"

Kedar looked slightly surprised. He shook his head. "Thank you for the invitation, but… I was hoping to speak with Victor privately before I depart."

Serus nodded. "We'll see you tomorrow then?" She asked, and he nodded his confirmation. The mother and daughter left, and for one moment there was only tense silence in the gym.

"You said you wanted ta talk…" Victor began.

"Yes. I… It concerns Vivianna."

"I assumed as much." Victor said with a nod, wondering where this could be leading. He felt distinctly uncomfortable… the hair on the back of his neck was standing on end.

"I may… need to step down as Vivianna's trainer." He said uncertainly.

"You 'may'?" Victor asked. Kedar only nodded. "What for?"

Kedar eyed Victor warily. "You told me to keep you appraised of any new developments.." Victor's eyes widened in shock before narrowing slightly.

"Holy hell, man." Victor nearly seethed. "It's been four days."

"This is  _your_  fault."

" _My_  fault? How'n the hell you figure—"

"Before you said anything, Vivianna was a child." Kedar countered, with some resentful force. "I held her with some affection certainly, but only ever as an older teacher would with their student. Safe, without a gender, just a simple being like any other I would teach. After our little talk yesterday, I cannot help but notice that she isn't  _just_ female, she's an amazing female." He shook his head, his eyes scrunching close. "I want to go back to her being a child, but I cannot. I've tried." He gave a weary sigh, his shoulder slumping just slightly. "I came to observe her training session with Serus, to see Serus's teaching methods… but I found myself noticing Vivianna more than the lessons. I feel like an old pervert for noticing." He practically spat the last sentence.

Victor stared at him in shock before laughing as quietly as possible. "If you're a pervert then I'm the devil himself." He said shaking his head. "Everyone  _notices_  people of the opposite gender, Kid. No one'll fault you for lookin'."

Kedar shook his head, looking more squarely at Victor. "It isn't looking that I worry over, it's what I see." He murmured looking down at his feet. "I don't think you realize that you're daughter isn't just a young lady… she's a very desirable young lady." Kedar swallowed somewhat roughly. "She will be a fierce fighter, a proud huntress… and a very devoted lover to whomever she chooses." He raised a hand to message the bridge of his noise. "She is barely near the age in which she could choose a potential mate, and already I am weighing the risks of a potential courtship. It is absurd." He said, gnashing his teeth slightly upon the last word.

"Absurd's a strong word."

"Is it?" Kedar asked, looking to Victor in effrontery. "I am too old, and she is too young." He countered.

"If you're old, I'm ancient." Victor grumbled.

"I don't mean that my age is a factor in my life, I mean I am too old for  _her_." He shook his head. "She would do better with someone nearer to her own age."

"Look, I dunno how much experience you have with women in general, but most of them don't like it when someone makes decisions for 'em." Victor advised. "It's not like anything needs to happen right away."

"I thought…after our last conversation, I assumed you would want me gone…"

"For lookin'?" Victor asked. He shook his head. "Maybe yer just growin' on me." He said with a shrug. "Let's just… be aware of how things are developin' and… we'll see what we see." He'd have to learn to just accept this, because if Kedar left it would be  _his_  fault. Vivianne would be hell to live with... And he was kind of enjoying having her around.

Kedar nodded. "That sounds wise…"

"So… what's some of the first things that you noticed?" Victor inquired.

Kedar blinked. "Vivianna has a very pleasant scent." He informed.

Victor chuckled. Was this boy a saint? Seriously, what was he so worried about… other than Victor using his guts for garters that is… "I suppose she does."

"She's … vivacious." Kedar continued. "She lives in the moment, but not so much so that she's incapable of considering the future." Victor felt his smile withering just slightly at that. Kedar's gaze was far off, as though he were seeing into a day dream. "She's very large for her age, and yet her grace doesn't suffer… She actually dances through life, but it isn't rehearsed steps or mantras, she sings and dances because it is in her to do so… she hears her own music. I have never seen grace and strength so well woven together." He smiled slightly. "Despite her obvious strength, she is no bully. She cannot stand to see anyone mistreated, and she will go out of her way to aid people she knows she has the ability to help." He looked back to the open area in which Serus and Vivianne had been fighting. "She's very careful in a fight, pulling her punches until she understands what her enemy is capable of… but when she faces a foe that she knows she won't be able to beat, it doesn't stop her from unleashing the full force of her intelligence and her strength." Kedar looked back to Victor, his face absolutely serene. "All of this is a part of her, but it barely touches how incredible she is."

Well… that was unexpected. Normally, a man would notice eyes or pretty hair. If they were honest, they'd even notice breasts or curves or legs, but this guy… this guy actually paid attention to and was attracted by  _qualities_. Qualities that had nothing to do with the physical. He just  _knew_  Vivianne, and the girl he knew was growing into a young woman that he found very attractive. Victor almost felt a bit of compassion for Kedar in that moment. He could  _almost_  see the quandary… how does one transition between teacher to possible romantic interest? Victor almost felt sympathy for him… almost. Or he would if he didn't know that Vivianne already cared very much for Kedar… and that eventually, he'd lose her to him.

"And well…" Kedar shook his head.

"What?"

"Well, you're her father… You wouldn't notice." Victor raised an eyebrow. "… I believe the term 'brick house' applies." He said, color rising in his neck as he pulled at his collar.

Victor actually threw his head back and laughed. What a thing to say! Honestly, this kid. He was so forthright that Victor almost found himself liking the boy. Currently, he was looking anywhere but at Victor as if he felt so guilty just for observing Vivianne's figure.

"You know… You're alright, kid." Victor said with a chuckle. "I'm really not worried too much about might happen. You're intentions seem pretty damn decent."

"Good to know." Kedar murmured. "I would hate to present myself as a threat."

"Yes. You would." Victor said with absolute certainty.

"I should be on my way." Kedar said simply, moving towards the door. Victor nodded, but was more interested in his cell phone which was ringing.

"See ya later, Kid." He muttered absently, answering his cell. "Mort?" He asked, happy to hear the elevator dinging as Kedar left.

"Yeah, it's me." Mortimer bit out. "I was wondering if you could help me with something."

"I'm not too eager to get into any wet work right now." Victor reminded.

"Nah, s'nothing like that. I just need some information. I'm looking for a lady named Mei who can find people easy. I was wondering if it's that woman we met the day we found your girl." Mortimer's voice seemed overly firm… it wasn't like him, and it made Victor wonder what was going on.

"Yeah, s'the same person." Victor said. "She's pretty open to helping anyone who needs it… you lookin' for someone, Mort?"

"I.. yeah, maybe. The big man wants to find someone, but he needs to know more about her."

"Well, she's 'neutral'." Victor said. "S'long as you mind your P's and Q's, she'd probably lend ya a hand." Victor thought about it for a second before continuing. "But whatever ya do, don't go in there and try ta pin her down'r make demands."

"Good to know. She take walk-ins?"

"Only one way ta find out." Victor advised.

"Suppose so. Thanks, Tooth."

"No problem. Take care of yourself."

"I'd say, 'you too', but you got women doing that for you now." Mortimer jabbed.

"Jealous much?"

"… yeah. Later."

"Later." Victor said, ending the call… wasn't often that the Toad was in such a mood. He hoped Mortimer found whatever it was he was looking for.

* * *

Hank was eying the building from the roof of one of its neighbors. Mei's building wasn't too tall.. only six stories high, really if you included the basement. From what research they'd done, they learned that she owned the entire building…interesting.

"I still don't understand why we can't just go in through the front door." Rogue said with a touch of irritation. She and Nightcrawler hadn't been there the night Mei had invaded, and for whatever reason it was very difficult to get her to comprehend the events that had unfolded that night. That along with Professor Xavier's reluctance had been the chief problem in investigating Mei further.

When Hank informed Ororo and Charles of the…uh, phantom Twinkie incident… They had agreed that it was unsettling, but something had them dragging their feet. It had taken 3 days for them to fully commit to a 'plan', but here they were. Hank, Kurt and Rogue were all on top of the building performing simple surveillance.

"I doubt very seriously that she'll tell us what we want to know if we ask her." Hank retorted.

"Vas ist das?" Nightcrawler asked, peering through the binoculars. Hank turned to ask what he meant only to realize he wasn't looking at the building but into the sky just beyond the building.

"We're supposed to be watching the building." Hank reminded.

"There's a girl!" Nightcrawler defended. "A girl with wings and fur." Hank and Rogue pulled out their own set of binoculars, scanning the skies for whatever Kurt was seeing.

"What in.." Rouge began, and Hank's mouth hung open. Indeed, there was a young girl covered in pale butter-yellow fur with large matching fluffy wings. Hank drew his binoculars down, away from his face and stared as the girl swooped down in between Mei's building and another on the far side. It was a good thing too, because without focusing so keenly through the binoculars he was able to catch movement on the roof.

"What is she doing?"

"Flyin' I guess." Rogue countered.

"No, not the girl. Mei!" Hank cried. Rogue looked to him first then followed his gaze. Her eyes widened as she watched Mei dash across the roof with great speed. Then, Mei jumped, flinging herself off the roof top. Kurt gasped, tensing momentarily no doubt intending to teleport and catch her. Before he could the furry-winged woman rose from the gap between the two buildings and caught Mei in a full-body embrace. The winged woman's wings spread out, catching an updraft before she tilted forward and brought them both to land on the roof, still hugging each other.

Hank pulled the binoculars up to his eyes again and watched as the two women pulled away, smiling at each other brightly. He had just zeroed in on Mei's face when her eyes shifted right to him.

"Uh… I think she sees us." Rogue observed needlessly, because now Mei was smiling at them, waving them over as if they were old friends. The woman next to Mei turned vivid ice-blue cat eyes on them, glaring almost murderously. Mei put a hand on her shoulder, getting her attention and saying something that seemed to placate her.

"Ah… should we?" Kurt faltered slightly.

Hank took a second longer to observe before sighing. He pressed a finger against his communicator. "Ororo?" he called. "We're going in."

"Hank, are you certain? Mei might not—"

"Actually we've been invited in." He responded. He could hear the silence in the room on the other end through the communicator.

"I see."

"Proceed with caution, Hank." He heard the Professor say. "We certainly don't want to make enemies where there are none."

Hank sighed heavily, mentally calculating the irritating grate of Mei's smirk versus his own skills of diplomacy. "Roger that." Was his only reply.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooookay... so. Doing a small head count. We've got Victor, who's plan of being frank with Kedar totally backfired on him. But him, Serus, Vivianne and Kedar pretty much all in the same spot they were, and happy to be there. We've got Toad, seriously vexed over his situation with Telissa and he's heading to Mei's... and we've got Hank, Rogue, and Kurt... at Mei's. No oracle here, but I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that the next chapter will mostly take place at Mei's.
> 
> :) Peace out.


	12. This House

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to say that this fic originally started on FF.net. I wasn't aware of Archive of Our Own till much later, and...well, you know. Registration takes for evar o..o So, if I'm thanking reviewers that aren't here, it's...just because it's so much easier to copy and past this here as it is from FF.net...and...because I have no reviewers here..
> 
> Smile-Evily …and while I say your handle I actually find myself smiling evily ;3 Thank you! I'm so glad that you're enjoying this :D
> 
> I had a Guest leave the comment that the Telissa/Toad story is interesting, and that really makes me happy. I'm really thrilled to hear that and very very relieved as well. The whole idea of Toad and Telissa..well, it turned into a very different thing than what I initially thought it would be. Not only did I assume that it wouldn't be romantic in nature, but I also assumed it would be more in the background. But a lot of these stories… I kind of feel like they demand to be told, and I really struggle with it. Mostly because I'm uncertain if anyone will trust and just follow me on this. You know, they say a basic rule of writing is not having more than a few main characters in your story, because it's too much for people to follow… and I couldn't disagree more. I think that technically, every single person is a main character in multiple stories, and I'm kind of tired of hearing that I need to limit the vision. I mean, honestly! Why not make the story richer by adding something you are unaware of that totally ties into the original concept?
> 
> …also, this chapter… Oh yeah. Totally off book here :|
> 
> Marvel does what Marvel does, and I do what I do :) That's the simplest way to 'splain it. And here's what I do :) Please do Enjoy…

When Kurt landed the three of them on the top of Mei's roof with a 'bamph', the furry girl with wings hissed and darted behind Mei.

"Well, that's a fine way to greet someone." Mei said, twisting about to look down at her. She turned to face the three X-men and smiled. "Welcome to my home." She motioned to the rooftop door. "Please, come in and take your ease." As she said this, the door clicked, and then creaked loudly as it slowly swung open.

"Uh…Mei honey, that's a little creepy." Rogue warned. Mei only nodded with a chuckle. She ushered the furry-winged-girl down the stairs first, then turned and beckoned for them to follow. Rogue moved to follow looking of her shoulder at Beast and Nightcrawler with an expectant expression. Beast sighed and nodded, motioning for Nightcrawler to follow. The X-men had gotten used to keeping Nightcrawler in the middle of any group, just in case a quick teleport was necessary.

The stairs led down to a long hallway, lined on one side of the wall with bright windows that faced a sunny sky. All evidence of the buildings that flanked this one were gone. On the opposite wall were doors…many many many doors. In fact, it was difficult to find more than 3 inches of bare wall between these doors. Each door was a simple wooden door painted white to match the trim and baseboards, with a crystal door knob and nothing else. No identifying markers or unique characteristics.

"What sort of rooms are these?" Nightcrawler asked, puzzled.

"Bedrooms." Mei answered.

"They look more like broom cupboards." He murmured in shock.

"They can be." Mei said with a chuckle. She made a big show of slipping a beaded bracelet off of her right wrist to her left. She reached for one of the door knobs, pulling the door open to reveal a 4 foot by 4 foot empty room. She repeated the process, revealing the same thing at the previous door's neighbor. The third door revealed a similar room with a single vacuum cleaner inside. "Ah! That's where that went!" she crowed, pulling the vacuum out into the hallway before shutting the door.

"I thought you said…" Kurt trailed off as Mei held up a single finger over her lips. She held up her bracelet, the beads going somewhat slack as she singled out one bead after the other. They were all smooth and polished, each of the beads a different color and type of stone. Mei nodded to herself when she pulled up a vibrant purple bead. She placed the bead into the center of the doorknob where the key should go and the clear crystal knob turned the same color purple as the bead. Mei knocked on the door. After a moment the knob turned, and the door was wrenched open from the other side.

"I know, I know, I'm on it I…promise." The young man answering the door paused as he exited the room, eying the X-Men warily. He had curly light brown hair and pale skin, long gangly limbs and extraordinarily bright blue eyes.

"Kevin, you realize you're not wearing shoes, right?" Mei asked. The young man—Kevin—looked down at his bare knobby feet.

"Odin's Ravens!" He cried, dashing back inside. He was a few seconds before returning, shoes in hand. "I'm not late yet, am I?" He asked, hopping as he craned one leg up placing that shoe on before doing the twist to get his foot into his shoe. It was impossible not to notice his eyes though, because they had turned a pale, almost sickly yellow-green.

"You have about fifteen minutes." Mei soothed. "No reason to panic." Kevin sighed, hopping to the other foot so that he could jam his remaining unfettered foot into the other empty shoe. "How did Jen manage to convince you to take her shift anyway?" At a mention of the name 'Jen', Kevin's eyes flashed a very vibrant shade of berry-violet before returning to a dark dull indigo.

"Oh… the way she usually does." He said with a sigh.

"Ah." Mei said, some secret bit of information being exchanged in this very inconclusive sentence. "Well, you'll be working with Cassi and Rei if that makes you feel any better." His face became clear, his eyes turning a slightly more vibrant shade of sky blue.

"That'll be nice at least."

"By the way, Kevin, this is Beast, Rogue, and Nightcrawler." She said motioning to the X-men in the hall. "And you know Clara already." She said, her chin tilting towards the girl who was evidently trying to take refuge in Mei's shadow. A bit of green leaked into Kevin's eyes as they landed on Clara, turning them teal. When his gaze swung to the X-men, they turned a vivid reddish-orange.

"uuuuh… X-Men?" He asked, looking to Mei.

"You remembered! Very good!" Mei murmured. She turned her attention to the X-men in question. "Kevin will be transferring to Xavier's this fall." She said with an approving grin, as if it were something she felt deserved to be bragged about.

"As long as the paperwork gets processed on time." He said with a shaky smile. "I'd better get down there."

"Turn." Mei instructed, rotating her wrist while pointing down as if to illustrate how he should turn. He turned, ending with stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Well?"

Mei nodded slowly. "Very nice." She said, her voice deepening. His eyes were a dull navy blue, but his cheeks were pink.

"Thanks." He chuckled under his breath. He reached back closing the door, then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a leather strung bracelet with a single round purple bead that matched the one Mei had used almost exactly. He set the bead into the keyhole and the knob turned crystal clear again. "It was a pleasure meeting you." He said with a nod to the X-Men, who nodded in return. He gave Mei one last grin before taking the stares and calling over his shoulder, "Later!"

"Don't threaten me." Mei nearly sang back at him. She reached down, turning the door knob on a simple 4 by 4 room. Mei smiled at Nightcrawler's amazed expression.

"How…" He began, but trailed off when he realized he had no idea how to word his question.

"The simple answer to all of your questions is Magic." Mei replied with a smile.

"You didn't have anything like the back at the dinner." Rogue murmured, an equally awed expression on her face.

"No. I did not. I didn't need it there." Mei said with a shrug. She eyed the bracelet again, this time picking through the beads till she found a milky yellowish-orange bead, setting it into the keyhole on the doorknob. "Comes in handy though." She turned the now milky yellowish-orange door knob, opening the door to reveal an enormous room with a kitchen in the far corner, a small door (perhaps a pantry?), and a number of various chairs and sofas in different arrangements around tables, TVs, stereos, and book shelves. "Especially when you want to be lazy and avoid the stairs. Ladies, Gentlemen, this is the second floor." She said with a smile. "Communal living quarters." She elaborated, gesturing for them to enter.

The fluffy-winged girl – Clara, Mei had called her – skipped swiftly inside. There was a dark haired young man lazing on one of the sofas nearest the TV. He looked over at the new comers with a bored expression, but his black eyes snapped to Clara. His face suddenly sharpened as he began to rise.

"Well, hello. What hav—" Clara beared her teeth, hissing viciously at him almost instantly before he'd even risen to full height as a response to his greeting. He shifted back, sitting back down and drawing both hands up in a mode of surrender. "Okay then."

"Clara!" Mei barked, striding forward. Clara's feathers puffed up while her fur frizzed, her neck sinking into her hunched shoulders. It was a very obvious defense mechanism…one that completely canceled out the scalding glares and vicious hisses.

"I… I'm s-sorry." She began, her voice as soft as her feathers and light as her fur.

Mei planted her fists against her hips, shaking her head. "Somehow I doubt the sincerity behind that statement." She said with a sigh. "No hissing or glowering at anyone who doesn't deserve it. Honestly, you don't even know Gary."

"Yeah." Gary nearly whimpered, feigning hurt, from his position on the couch.

"Get to know the boy, realize what a tosser he is, and then you can hiss at him."

"..hey.." Gary mumbled actually sounding hurt this time.

Mei looked back at him over her shoulder. "Where are Lehla and Leila?" she asked. Gary blinked, his pupils expanding to cover all of his eyes.

"uuuuuhhhhhh…. Oh! Leila's downstairs sipping a cappuccino. Seriously? Bad Idea, I'm thinking. And uh…uhh…" His face pinched into a grimace. "I can't see Lehla.." He said, before the black covering his eyes receded to normal pupil size.

Mei nodded. "Thanks. Can you go and get Leila, please?"

"Sure!" he said excitedly, levering himself off the couch and practically dashing by the X-Men before his head popped back from the other side of the doorway. "Whoa! Top floor?"

"Practice." Mei said as if it explained everything.

Gary pointed at her. "Right! Good plan." He said before dashing back towards the stairs.

"Rogue, if you could just shut the door behi—"

THUNK!

…

"I'm okay!" Gary yelled from somewhere unseen beyond the shut door.

Mei nodded. "He hasn't failed…he just found another way not to do it."

"Edison." Beast responded almost as a reflex.

"Bastardized version," Mei said with a nod. "but yes, Edison."

"Why is he here?" Rogue asked, walking further into the room. "And the other guy, Kevin… And all the others."

"Their stories are theirs, and personal to them." Mei said, her arms crossing comfortably across her stomach. "Suffice to say, you started something special."

Rogue blinked. "I did?"

Mei smiled. "Before taking you in, I had very little to do with anyone who wasn't already affiliated with my house or my family. But.. after helping you and …well, everything that I lost…" Mei shrugged. "I was helped by someone who owned a house similar to the one I operate now." Mei said with a smile as she gazed up at the ceiling, as if admiring what she'd built. "I realized that was something that I wanted to do…" Her gaze returned to Rogue. "My house stands now as a neutral refuge for those in need."

"You take in mutants, you mean." Beast surmised.

"Not just mutants." Mei corrected. "Gary and Clara here aren't mutants at all." Mei said, motioning to Clara who was blinking rapidly.

"He isn't?" Clara asked, her head tilting to the side as though she were trying to mimic a curious dog's expression.

Mei's gaze slid over to Clara. "No. He isn't."

"But…but he doesn't smell right…" She said, her gaze sloping down her nose as her expression pinched in frustration.

"Clara-Love, the only scents you've managed to sift through are of the human variety, along with myself and my brother." Mei soothed. "Our scents are somewhat unique, considering." Mei smiled brightly. "You have much more to learn."

There was a loud bumbling clatter in the pantry—behind the small door that was on the far wall, farther into the kitchen—followed by an 'ow'. Mei sighed, walking over to the door and opening it

"Really? The pantry?"

"It was the closest dark spot I could find." He grumbled.

"Why are you upside-down?" Clara questioned, peering inside curiously as Gary righted himself.

"Don't judge me." He muttered. He exited the pantry, shutting the door behind him. He was panting just a bit before he began talking to Mei. "Bethany and Leila are talking to this guy who's lookin' for you. Says he needs to see y—"

Mei held up a hand for him to stop talking, her gaze staring away into the wall or empty space. Her pupils dilated, her eyes widened, a brow raising, and the tiny pull of a smirk at her lips certainly worried Beast.

"How interesting."

"That isn't what I'd call him." Gary grumbled. "You want me to play courier, or.."

"No. You stay here. I have this." Mei said firmly. She took a deep breath through her nose, and as she slowly released it her hair seemed to lift as thought there were no gravity to weigh it down. "Bethany. Please bring our guest to the common room. Leila, it is urgent that I speak with you and your sister before sunset today." Her voice had a strange echo-ey tone to it, yet it somehow seemed confined to the space around them. It wasn't echoing off the ceiling or floor, like so much noise bouncing around…it just… reverberated in the air. After the moment passed, a shiver when down Beast's spine. He noticed that it affected Rogue and Nightcrawler as well, but not the other two surrounding Mei. Slowly, as if taking it's time, Mei's hair settled back as it had been before, and her pupils returned to a normal size.

"On their way then?" Gary asked. Mei nodded firmly, and suddenly her tone was more severe.

"They are. Gary, you're at the ready. If anyone resorts to violence, I want you putting them in the darkest oubliette you can find. Clara," Mei turned her head back towards Clara. "I want you behind me. If anything happens, you take to the wind back to Man." He pointed to the X-men. "You three, on your best behavior."

"Who've you got coming to supper, Mei?" Rogue asked growing genuinely concerned.

"I apologize for the urgent dramatics. The price of operating a house based on a foundation of neutrality, I'm afraid." Mei sighed. "Those who come here are allowed three meals and a night to rest their ease while I consider their request. I'm never entirely certain my visitors are straightforward or for that matter that they do not wish to bring this house down around my ears." She smiled tightly. "I like to render the benefit of the doubt to any of my visitors, but I'm not such a fool that I wouldn't prepare for the very worst." She gave Rogue a more relaxed, easy smile. "I'll admit, I've been quite lax in preparing for your visit… moreso for my preexisting trust towards you."

"I'd still like to know who's coming ." Beast said firmly.

"Hold on to your seat, Henry." Mei said with a grin. "I'm going to ask you to keep a firm grip on your skills at diplomacy."

The door knob rattled and turned, then a peach-skinned Bethany lead Mortimer—the Toad—Toynbee into the room. Upon seeing the X-men, Mortimer crouched into a ready stance, and they seemed to crouch in response to his presence. Mei darted between them, she threw her arms out as if to keep them at bay before slamming them together in a great clap. A gush of wind burst forth from the center of her joined hands, nearly knocking the mutants off their feet.

"Manners!" Mei barked on par with a General. "You, Toad." She began, facing Mortimer. "Mind yourself. My house is neutral, and you will remain unharmed as long as you're willing to return the courtesy."

"With them here—"

"If you have any problem keeping with the peace, I'll be more than happy to suck the air from your lungs and leave you gasping at my feet in seconds." Mei countered levelly. Mortimer considered her words, eyeing the X-Men carefully. She turned, looking over her shoulder at the X-men. "It goes without saying that the same passivity is required of you while you are here." She said simply. "Honestly, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Just remember: Diplomat, Southern Hospitality, and WWJD." Beast rolled his eyes but nodded. She turned back to Mortimer. "Mortimer T—"

"I prefer Toad." He grumbled.

"Toad, then. You have something you want, do you not?"

"Yes."

"Then make your request."

Toad eyed the X-men momentarily. "We've come across a boy who's missing his sister. Separated by the government they were. We've been looking for her, to reunite them."

"You can't track her down?" Rogue asked, somehow managing to keep antagonism out of her tone.

"Yea, we found the facility she was supposed to be in…" Toad spat. "What was left of it at least. It was a burnt out ruin by the time we got there."

"This girl has a name?" Mei asked.

Toad was eyeing the X-men again, clearly uncomfortable with discussing details in front of so many strangers and the X-men.

"Scarlet." A pleasant feminine voice commented. "Her name is Scarlet." Toad glared at the girl at the bar.

"So you employ psychics?" He hissed.

"I wouldn't refer to her as a psychic." Mei said. "She's certainly no more psychic than I am." Mei smiled over her shoulder at this new young lady.

The woman was in her late 20's and very slender. Still, something in her air made her seem mature enough, even though she could probably pass as a teenager if she so desired. She had long dark cherry-wood hair that was rolled up in a tiny knot at the back of her head, though it also trailed down past the nape of her neck. He skin was milk-white pale, her face was smooth and high-set – her cheek bones, her forehead, all set high and sweeping into the other features of her face. Her blue-grey eyes seemed almost too bright, weighted down only by their secrets. She wore a dark berry-red shirt under a rich, rusty brown overcoat which was cinched neatly over her chest and waist but flared out past her hips. She stood with gentle poise, moving forward with certainty towards Mei. Dark denim jeans were tucked into knee-high brown boots.

"Mei, it's so good to see you." She murmured

"Anya." Mei said with a nod. "Always a pleasure." She nodded to Toad. "You know who he's talking about?"

Anya nodded. "Indeed. She's at the Militia house right now."

"Militia house?" Beast asked. "You're with Militia?" he asked, surprise evident in his tone.

Anya nodded. "Indeed." She said with a small smile. "The Militia Men rescued the Scarlet Witch from a facility in Boulder, along with three others. They have been at Militia house since then… recuperating."

"You didn't come here for this, Anya." Mei observed.

"Indeed, I did not." She said, reaching out and catching two things that had been hanging on a board by the kitchen wall. They flew out towards her as if beckoned. "I'll take my usual room, at your usual rate, and we can discuss the specifics later."

Mei nodded. "Very well then."

Anya nodded to Toad. "I will speak with Scarlet. Mei will be our go-between to reunite her with her brother."

Toad nodded, seeming baffled by this sudden development. The woman nodded towards the X-Men, and without so much of a sound simply left.

"huh." Gary murmured. "That was weird…" It was interesting to hear that even a denizen of Mei's house found this 'Anya' character out of the ordinary. He looked over at Mei. "By the way, your breasts look amazing today."

Mei closed her eyes, shaking her head.

"What in the—." Beast began.

"Dude.." Toad looked at Gary in shock. "I'm the biggest freak I know, and even I think that was weird."

"He's seen your breasts?" Clara asked Mei, sounding horrified.

"Just once!" Gary countered. "It was an accident… a really really great accident." He scratched the back of his neck, looking pretty guilty. "I, uh… well, I first moved in here by accident, actually. I mean, I was trying to find somewhere to hide, and I kinda barged in on Mei… just as she was getting out of the shower." He shook his head a strong blush settling across his face.

"Just so you know, it's generally better when the girl actually wants the attention." Toad said.

"How would you know?" Rogue asked snidely.

"Rogue." Mei rebuked. "Insults are no substitute for discourse." Oddly enough, Rogue actually looked pouty at Mei's words. Mei took a deep breath through her nose and pointed at Gary. "You, thank you but time and place, Gary. Time and place." She paused, looking Toad up and down. "This Scarlet business isn't really what you've wanted to ask of me."

Toad eyed her, swallowing thickly. "..there's…this girl."

"Ah.. Some of my favorite stories start this way." Mei said with a smile.

"It's not like that." Toad growled. "I mean.." He combed the fingers of his right hand into his hair, rubbing agitatedly at his forehead. "She's a triplet, and she was abducted, but she doesn't know what happened to her siblings. She knows they're alive, but she can't find them…"

Mei's eyes narrowed. "This girl… do her eyes light up?"

Toad's eyes widened just a fraction. "When she's using her abilities, yes." He said with a nod.

"Turquoise."

"Yeah, her eyes are turquoise blue." Toad confirmed hastily. Mei's brow ticked upward just a hitch as she surveyed him.

"Just her eyes?" Mei asked, and that made everyone look a little baffled.

"Uh..yeah…"

Mei smirked. "What's she calling herself?" she asked, turning and walking back towards where Clara was standing.

"… Telissa. Her siblings are Lisa and Anthony."

Mei nodded. "What color is her hair?"

"…brown."

"Good cover." Mei said. It looked as though Toad was about to question her, but she motioned to Bethany. "Bethany, darling, grab the aventurine off the board, and show Toad to a room."

"The hematite is gone.." Bethany said as she eyed the pegboard.

Mei nodded. "Anya will have taken that."

Bethany nodded as well before approaching Toad. "If you'll follow me." Toad nodded dully before following Bethany out of the room. Only once the door closed did Mei relax. She ambled over to one of the stools at the bar and sat herself down.

"It looks like you just got yourself right in the thick of things." Rogue murmured, approaching her from the side.

A tiny smile tugged at the corners of Mei's mouth before she turned to face Rogue and the X-men. "But that isn't a bad thing." She assured. "If Anya is here, it means that Militia is in need of a favor. The Toad's presence brings not only a favor from Magneto, but something personal as well. That's two very powerful houses I'll have in my debt." Mei shrugged. "I'm uncertain how Magneto does business with any of his affiliates… but Militia is very loyal to any who have shown grace to the Militia Men." Mei sighed. "At this point, it won't be about tallying up who's done what any more. We are, what you might call, confidants now." She messaged her temples lightly. "As strong and capable as I am, it is good to have a force that powerful at your back ready to take a swing on your account."

"That sounds an awful lot like politics." Beast observed.

Mei shrugged. "Perhaps. Perhaps not. I hope one day to have forged connections with Magneto's Brotherhood as strong as those I have to the Militia house." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "I'd thought of extending a similar offer to Xavier's… but Xavier is a little…" The X-men could see Mei weighing her words as she spoke. "fickle when it comes to such things."

Rogue and Beast exchanged a look. Beast seemed so unrelenting in his glare even though Rogue looked so uneasy. She swallowed and shifted closer to Mei. "Not everyone at Xavier's is like that." Rogue said softly.

Mei smiled softly with a nod. "Oh, believe me, Rogue. I well understand that Xavier is more than willing to consort with less savory sorts when it suits him." She said, her lips pursing in displeasure. "Still, you and your lot are offered the same deal as the others. I deal in information, because we all know that knowledge is power. If Xavier were to wish to find someone, then he could come or send someone to me to make that request." Mei's face become slack in its seriousness. "I don't trade secrets." Mei's eyes hardened slightly. "There are those who are lost, and wish to remain so."

"So, what you're saying is," Beast began. "If we were looking for someone who we'd lost, or we needing information, you'd give it to us."

"Correct."

"But if the information were something sensitive—"

"Such as Magneto's base of operations, or the location of the Militia house."

"—you would most likely refuse to help."

Mei made a slight face, frowning just a bit. "Not entirely. If what you were seeking were dire, I would not be opposed to bringing your request to either organization."

"Acting as Courier?" Beast questioned.

"Sometimes negations can be achieved," Mei reminded. "and if both sides manage to compromise with causing blood shed… well that is worth some risk."

"Not that it would stop you from invading our home and taking whatever information you wanted." Beast accused.

"That was different. That was for family." Mei snapped.

"I don't believe you." Beast growled levelly.

"I do not require your belief." Mei growled back.

Beast's glare went to Rogue again and stayed there. Rogue looked down. "We should probably be going… we learned what we came here for.." she said in a gloomy tone. Rogue reached down and took Mei's hand in both of hers. In both of her bare hands… "I hope we can still keep in touch." She said, sadness tinting her tone.

Mei stared into Rogue's eyes for what seemed like eternity. Mei rose. "Rogue, honey." She began, her voice straining on the affectionate pet-name. She pulled her hand away from Rogue's grip and placed both of her hands on either side of Rogue's face. "Your powers will not work on me." She said, a sad smile torturing Mei's mouth. Rogue's eyes widened, going glassy as she realized that Mei understood what she'd been trying to do.

"I…I didn't.." Rogue stuttered.

Mei nodded, pulling away to rejoin Gary and Clara who were still standing awkwardly by the pantry door. "You are, of course, welcome to return as long as you abide by the rules of my house." She said sounding weary. "I do hope their association with me will not color Kevin and Bethany's applications to your institute."

"You're sending them both.." Beast began.

"I am not sending anyone anywhere. Both Kevin and Bethany have promising, bright futures. Xavier's is the best place for them to learn the skills they need without being shamed over their genetics. Perhaps you can help Bethany discover her abilities…" Mei said, pausing as she eyed Beast. "She still isn't aware of what it is she can do, and she's terribly worried that she's 'a useless mutant'." Mei spat the last words as if she were sick of hearing them. "As always, Adieu… Parting is such sweet sorrow." She murmured, waving a hand as though she were swatting at the air. Before Hank could work up a question, the world went white, and then they were all standing on a rooftop near their camouflaged helicopter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So…yeah. I was hoping to shed a bit more light on the very mysterious Mei and her (obviously insidious) café. Don't get me wrong, I wanted a little light, but just enough shading to keep the mystery:) So, what did everyone think of this so far?
> 
> I find myself at a bit of a crossroads…and, as any good Supernatural fan will tell you, that is where deals are made. As for where this goes form here… I can check back in with the Brotherhood after Toad's visit to Mei's. I can check back in at the Creed house, because Vivianne's been training like mad to master Air and Kedar's still rapidly developing feelings for her (btws, that totally shocked me. I did not see that coming). Also, there's more that Mei has to offer between the three powers that be (namely, Xavier's, the Brotherhood, and the Militia House). So… yeah.
> 
> If there's anything you guys are, like, really into or curious about, please leave me a review and comment on it. I'm very interested in hearing your thoughts, concerns, questions, comments, suggestions, :3 whatever you have, I'm all ears.
> 
> And I guess I'll just shut up now :) Peace out.


	13. Voices

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgotten - Chapter 13 - Voices
> 
> Let's just get this out of the way, shall we? Marvel does what Marvel does, and I do what I do :) Marvel's the way, and my characters will play. 
> 
> Ok, this is one of my longer chapters... I'd apologize but... why bother? :3 …yet another chapter that's different than how I pictured it… I'm not unhappy about it, but I had a lot of Toad stuff planned, and that's been pushed to the next chapter :3 I'd say I'm sorry, but we both know I'm completely unrepentant -..- If it's not this way, then the story does not move, and the story needs to keep moving.
> 
> But for now! Here's chapter 13 :3 Please do Enjoy…

Mortimer checked his backpack one last time as he hit the streets. What a wacky place… Mei's home was…well…nice. He wasn't sure what he'd expected, but what he'd seen was nothing like anything he could've imagined. There were a lot of kids there that would've been out on the streets if Mei hadn't offered them a chance at making their own way. Just like him, she'd given them a room and meals for one day and one night, and after discussing what their situation was had placed them in jobs, in schools, into a life that they could call theirs. It was…. It was incredible. How did someone start doing this?

He sighed, feeling his cell vibrate. He answered. "I'm on my way back in, Blue butt. Don't rush me." He grumbled into the receiver.

"I'll rush you if I want to." Mystique grumbled back. "You'd better hurry back, Mort. There's a storm brewing."

"Nothing on the radar." Mortimer mumbled before starting on the crosswalk.

"Not the weather, you idiot. I mean back here." Mystique snapped.

"What's going on?"

"Well, Magneto's not happy."

"Why the hell not?" Mortimer asked, confused. "I figured he'd be giddy to have his hooks in a new contact that could connect us with someone even more powerful. Seriously, this Militia business? It's hot shit, Myst."

"I know that. It's the other thing you said."

He felt himself start to slow his pace. "The other thing?" He asked. He tried to swallow. Evidently his tongue was bunching up in his throat. It was the only explanation for how thick it felt. "The thing about Telissa?" The discussion he'd had with Mei over Telissa and locating her siblings had been…disturbing.

" _Take this." She'd said, handing him a very small flask. It looked like shiny silver, with a cap that screwed onto the neck before clipping on. It was oval shaped with a celtic weave pattern on it._

" _What's it for?" He'd practically demanded._

" _For my payment." Mei had said simply, as if that were obvious._

" _What…what do you want me to do with it?" He asked, still not following her as he eyed the flask in his hand._

" _Give it to Telissa. She'll know what I want in exchange for the information about her siblings." He stared at Mei and then back at the flask. "Tell her this exactly:" Mei said firmly. "'All things being equal, I don't believe my request is too great.'" She'd smiled ambiguously. "I assume you'll be returning with your girlfriend."_

_"She's not my—" Mortimer'd had to shut himself up over that response. He certainly didn't want this woman knowing too much about his personal life._

_In response Mei had lifted an eyebrow and shook her head. "You humans and your vain, petty hang ups." She'd grumbled._

_"What the f _—"__

__"It's nothing you need to worry over." Mei had assured. "Just remember exactly what I said to you. Say it to her__ exactly  _as I said it to you. Remember: 'All things being equal, I don't believe my request is too great.'"_ _  
_

It'd been…weird. Her severity had only made him more uncomfortable. In fact, she'd made Mortimer repeat the phrase several times before she nodded in satisfaction and told him to keep in touch.

"Yes, you moron." Mystique grumbled, bringing him back into the present. "Telissa's practically packed and chomping at the bit to leave."

"What?" He asked, stopping in place on the sidewalk. "What do you mean leave? She can't leave the facility except by air."

"We explained that to her." Mystique countered. "She didn't seem overly concerned."

Mortimer felt his heart begin to race. His pace doubled as he continued at a near jog. "Look, I'll be in with the bird soon. Tell her two, three hours tops and then it's a safe ride to any city she wants."

"You planning on going with her?" Mystique asked.

"Of course I'm going with her. She can't go alone." He said as if the idea was ludicrous. He heard Mystique sigh on the other end.

"Thank God for that." She mumbled in relief.

* * *

Victor couldn't help but notice how different his entire life was. Before Serus and Vivianne had moved in, he'd been happy to spend most of his day at the office if that was what was needed… now, he couldn't wait to get home, back to his girls. Hell, he didn't even mind Kedar's presence anymore.

In fact, the more exposure he had to the boy, the more he liked the idea of keeping him around. It was obvious with each day that passed that Kedar's affection for Vivianne was growing. Growing steady, growing swiftly, and growing serious….oddly enough, Vivianne seemed less  _obviously_  crazy about Kedar… which was good. She needed to make him work for it. Kedar needed to earn her affection. He needed to pursue her. Ultimately, Victor just didn't want his daughter falling into the category of 'easy prey'.

He blinked as he stepped off the elevator… the doors to the gym were open, and he could hear heated conversation. He peeked inside, surveying the room he found Serus and Kedar discussing something intensely in a language he wasn't familiar with. It sounded almost Russian…and almost German, and yet it so very obviously wasn't either. He'd done a bit of traveling in his time, and he'd picked up a couple of languages just to make things easier. He had no idea what they were discussing, but it seemed like Kedar was trying to placate Serus, who seemed quite peeved.

A quick glance around showed no sign of Vivianne. He looked over and found the doors to the penthouse slightly ajar. He walked inside and looked in all the open family rooms. She wasn't in the great room… He checked her room and then his home office, but he didn't find her there either. He reminded himself that there was no cause to panic yet. He walked into the room he shared with Serus and was surprised to find one of the French doors leading to the balcony wide open. He stared at the open portal for a moment before carefully easing forward. Now, all of his senses were on alert. The wind was prickling over his skin as it came in through the door, his ears and nose straining to catch any hints of an intruder… Nothing unfamiliar so far.

His stomach plummeted into his heels as he stepped outside onto the balcony. He didn't have a great balcony or anything. Just something simple that let him look down over the city… but it wasn't what was on the balcony that was the problem. There was a ledge that ran around the building parallel from the rail around his balcony… barefoot, in her tight gym clothes, stood Vivianne… standing proudly on that ledge, several hand lengths away from the balcony railing. It looked like she'd hopped up there and walked as far out on the ledge as she could without rounding the curve around the side of the building. She was just standing there, like she was looking for something…. This was as close to panicking as he'd ever been.

"Vivianne." He called, catching her attention. She turned back, and when her eyes settled on him she smiled brightly. What was left of his heart melted just a bit at the sight of her blatant happiness to see him. He nodded, motioning for her to come back. He tried keeping the fear out of his expression, but her face seemed to falter slightly. She seemed confused. "Come here, baby." He said simply, reaching out towards her. She nodded and hurried back, taking his hand as she jumped to the rail and plastering herself against his side. He felt a breath he wasn't aware he'd been holding filter out. "Please don't do that again." He said as delicately as he could manage, which really wasn't as delicate as he'd have liked. She nodded as he brought her back inside. He closed the French doors that led to the balcony and looked back at her. "What were you doing out there?" He asked as calmly as possible.

"I…" She blinked. "I thought…" she shook her head. "Mom and Kedar wanted to talk about something, so I came to get some water and… I thought… " She squinted at him. "I thought I heard your voice."

"You heard  _my_  voice?" He asked.

"Y-yeah, I could've sworn…" She trailed off, biting her bottom lip. After a few concessive blinks she spoke again. "You just got home didn't you?" She asked.

He nodded. "Came looking for you when I didn't see you in the gym." He confirmed. "And you say you heard my voice…" Vivianne nodded. "What was I saying?"

Vivianne shook her head. "You just called my name." she said.

He nodded. "And… so how did you end up out on the ledge?"

Viviane stared at him. "I just…" She shrugged. "I don't really… I couldn't find you, and it just felt like… like… like such a nice day or…" She shook her head again. "I don't know how to describe it. You weren't in here, and the sky was so open and clear and…"she chuckled softly. "It sounds  _so_  stupid to say it out loud, but I guess I just got distracted…"

Victor nodded as if he understood, but he had no fucking clue what she was talking about. "Um.. Vivianne, if you would've fallen.."

"I wouldn't have fallen!" Vivianne said with a half laugh as if the idea were just ludicrous.

"Why not?" He asked.

Her expression went lax, her smile fading as she thought about the question. "I… I don't know.." her eyes darted around the room as if the answer had to be around here somewhere. Maybe on the floor by the bed, oh, no no… that's a dust bunny. "I'm just… certain that I wouldn't have fallen."

Victor nodded again. "Well, what do you assume would have happened if you'd fallen?"

She blinked rapidly, trying to think before answering. "I - I don't know…" She eyed the French doors then looked to him, worry actually dawning in her eyes. "I feel absolutely certain that nothing bad would've happened to me…" she took in a deep breath. "Is something wrong with me?" she swallowed. "I mean, I  _could've_  fallen, there's no such thing as an impossibility really. But even acknowledging that doesn't change this utter conviction in me that I would not have fallen..." She stopped, her eyes little glassy. "A telepath could do that right? I mean… I walked out on a ledge like it was normal and it's really, really  _not_."

"Okay, okay." He murmured, an arm fastening against her back in a fierce hug. "There is  _nothing_  wrong with you, you hear me? I'm sure you're fine." He said firmly.

He'd never felt pulled in so many different directions in his life. Not even when Jimmy left did he feel so utterly conflicted. A part of him was furious that anyone would interfere with his home life, that someone would try to strike at him or Serus through their daughter just sickened him. Another part of him wanted to comfort his daughter who was obviously beginning to feel distraught. Another part of him felt so blessed to have found her, not to mention the near giddiness of being the one she was looking for, the one she felt safe with.

"How about we get you that water you were wanting, and then we can go talk to your mother, alright?" He said once he'd collected himself. She nodded against him and the two of them proceeded to do just that… And if anyone gave him shit over feeling happy that she seemed determined to keep holding his hand the entire time, he'd knock them into the middle of next week.

When he and Vivianne appeared in the doorway to the gym, both Serus and Kedar stopped talking and stared at them.

"Victor? It's not even 3 yet." Serus said slightly concerned.

He held up a hand as they approached them. "Something just happened, and you need to let us tell you about it quickly so that we can figure it all out." He said simply. He explained that he'd come home early and how he'd left the two of them to talk in search of his daughter. The tale of finding her on the ledge made Kedar's mouth drop open and Serus's jaw clench. Victor watched as her eyes hardened. Vivianne picked up the story there, trying to explain what had happened. Her explanation seemed so disjointed and illogical. Kedar turned an almost accusatory stare on Serus who seemed to be doing her best to ignore him.

"Since I'm the new player in this game, I need to ask if this is a good time to panic or get pissed or what." Victor said at last, his statement directed at Serus.

"What?" Kedar asked, his eyebrows peaking.

"Is this the work of some telepathic enemy, or is this something I just haven't heard of?" Victor clarified.

"No, no, no." Kedar said quickly, trying to assure Victor. "No, there's no reason to panic, nothing is wrong, no one is attacking your house." He said. Vivianne's opposite hand drifted up to her neck. She rubbed at her collarbone as though she were so thankful to just be breathing. Victor could practically smell the tension in her release. "Vivianne's experience is perfectly normal."

Victor released a heavy breath. "Okay. One, that makes me feel a little better. Two, the fuck you mean 'perfectly normal'?" he asked, slightly miffed. "Nothing about her out on a ledge seems perfect or normal to me."

"I'd have to say.." Vivianne began. "The more I actually think that I was out there on that ledge, I don't really feel that was perfect, normal, or safe."

"But you felt that it was right at the time." Kedar countered, pointing at Vivianne as if he'd given her a cue.

Vivianne blinked at him as if his statement was redundant. "Well, yeah, otherwise I wouldn't have gone out there, but still it's just… I mean, I still can't even tell you exactly  _why_  I thought it was a rational thing to do…"

Kedar looked down at Serus pointedly, and her eyes shifted up to him… She looked like she was trying to hex him with her eyes, but he didn't quail under her glare. He didn't back down either and she nodded, her eyes going back to Vivianne.

"Kedar's right, it's… it's normal. Everything today has been …good. Very very good." Serus sighed, and Victor got the idea that Serus wasn't happy with how good things were, whether they were good or not.

"What else happened today?" He asked.

"Uh.." Vivianne mumbled, getting his attention. "I was … sparring with Kedar." She said. "I kept hearing this sound… every time he'd attack it was like… Like knives getting sharppened or something." She said.

"Yes, and when you heard it, you knew I was about to attack you, and you would counter it." Kedar said with a half-smile, his eyes went to Victor and he seemed so bright and optimistic. "It was impressive."

Vivianne looked to Victor with a tiny smile tugging at the edges of her lips. He could smell how pleased she was with Kedar's assessment, but he could see how much she was trying to downplay it. "I don't really know if hearing noises and voices that aren't there is a good thing exactly."

"You weren't hearing noises or voices." Serus countered. "You were hearing the wind." Even she seemed to be loosening up slightly, clearly impressed with Vivianne's aptitude. "Your Nana Mei is gifted with seeing anything air touches and speaking into the wind and having her voice manfest elsewhere... it's not too unlike that." Serus sighed again, another heavy sigh torn from her as if she were dealing with something monumentally difficult. "The gift manifests in different ways…and you are advancing with the speed of a progeny."

"Isn't she?" Kedar said, as if reminding Serus. "After all, your great grandfather was—"

"I'm perfectly aware." Serus muttered, and her tone clearly stated that Kedar should relearn his place.

"Saza.." Vivianne murmured, obviously miffed at Serus's snippiness.

"Okay, I need this in English." Victor interrupted.

Kedar nodded towards Serus as if he was now contrite and would defer to her. Serus ground her teeth together for a moment. "My great grandfather, Dagaszi, was an incredible Elekin before he had turned 20 years of age." Serus confessed. "Of course, he was also  _La'oros de faczi_."

Vivianne's eyes widened, her gaze slowly turning towards Victor. "Uh… I guess you'd say… A seer." Victor looked between Serus and Kedar.

" _La'oros de faczi_  is a term that loosely translates Seer of Fate." Kedar said with a nod. He stopped speaking when Serus glared at him. "He was a great wielder of Air." He said, almost as though he were placating her. "The elements were his weapons in more ways than one, as I recall."

Serus nodded. "You don't think that's a little out of context in this case?" she asked, motioning to Vivianne. "It's a tad early to be considering weapons."

"It's a tad early to be considering anything we've considered." Kedar reminded. It was so obvious that he was trying not to challenge Serus's authority.

"What weapons?" Vivianne asked curiously.

"Nevermind that." Serus said in an attempt to wave Vivianne off. "The work out for today is over anyway, so you may as well cool out." She sighed. "Tomorrow we'll start again from the top of the routine."

Kedar's face twitched. It was just for an instant before the mask of careful diplomacy fell back into place, but Victor saw it. Kedar's brow had drawn together in confusion, his eyes widening in almost-almost-almost rage. But then his jaw clenched, he swallowed hard (his pride, presumably) and he was back to his usual stoic countenance. Vivianne didn't see it because she was staring at her mother in shock.

And that was pretty much the last straw as far as Victor was concerned.

"Hey, Vivios, uh, would you like to go out and see your cousin. Wha'zit, Leah?" Victor asked suddenly.

"Victor—" Serus began.

"What? It's been, how long now? You haven't so much as ventured out of this building. No wonder you're going out on ledges. You're probably getting a little stir crazy being cooped up here."

Vivianne blinked at him rapidly but she nodded. "I…yes. But I thought… I mean." Vivianne shot a quick glance to her mother before her eyes returned to Victor. "I thought it was too dangerous to go out…"

Victor made a face, his mouth flattening as he considered that. "You know, I suppose you're right. It is pretty dangerous. But the whole world's a danger." He said with a nod. "Still, you could be right. Kedar?" that got Kedar's attention. Till this point he'd been brooding over a far spot on the gym mat floor. "Would you be so kind as to escort my daughter on a tiny walkabout?" Victor asked. There was a beat of silence meeting his question. Then another… and then another.

"I… would need to change first." Kedar said.

"Uh.. yeah." Vivianne gave a stunted nodded. "Me too." Kedar nodded, and Victor had the distinct pleasure of watching Vivianne scurry out the door in a flurry. Kedar looked around and then spotted his gym bag (something he'd somehow lost sight of since he last left it) and then headed for the restroom in that was just adjacent to the gym. Meanwhile, Serus's expression had frozen, her eyebrows drawn together in curiosity. Victor could just see revelation dawning somewhere behind the steely expression she was holding. He knew it wouldn't take long for this to—

"Victor." Serus began, her tone as hard as granite. Ah. He knew this was coming. "What exactly is going on here?"

"Darling." Victor smiled as soothingly as possible. "Let's step into my office."

* * *

Vivianne rushed to get ready. She shucked off her black spandex gym clothes and put on a white spaghetti strap undershirt, a button up black and red plaid shirt over that and some jeans. A reliable pair of boots, and she was ready. She tried to ignore the tenseness radiating from her dad's office as she headed out the door and back into the gym. Kedar still wasn't there, so she took the time to breathe and try to process the day.

She sighed as her back slid down the wall and she landed on her backside with a thump. Why was her mother acting this way? She'd seemed so reasonable about everything before. Kedar had helped her make such progress. She'd been advancing so swiftly…and now she was going to be starting all over from the beginning again? She just couldn't understand why she wasn't being allowed to advance. She still couldn't summon a Seireix, but she was definitely understanding air flow and simple principles that would really improve her spells not to mention simple air manipulation would be finessed now. At this point, if someone stabbed her and perforated her lungs, she would still be able to breathe… in theory. Still, it was a little disheartening that she hadn't made any progress that she could  _show_  anyone.

She started slightly when she felt the ground shake as Kedar had thumped himself down next to her. He was still wearing the same sage-green sleeveless undershirt, but he'd donned some dark denim jeans, and he was carrying a very sleek looking leather jacket over one forearm.

Her eyes landed on his bare biceps. They were  _very_  distracting. She reminded herself that it would be rude to stare, so she looked away quickly before letting her eyes land on his face. He wasn't looking at her, just staring straight ahead. She took the time to admire his cheekbones… his chin… his lips… his eyes. Dear God, his eyes. She clamped her mouth closed and decided to stare straight ahead as well. There was no way he could be this close to her without her admiring him in some way. So… she'd learn to look away. It would be difficult, so she may as well get some practice in on that.

"So." He began. "I don't think it's ever been more apparent how quickly you learn things." She looked over at him, and her heart skipped a beat when he returned her gaze. "You're really quite amazing." He said, making her forget the fundamental principle of air.. In. Her. Lungs.

She let her breath out a tiny, soft chuckle. She let her eyes drift downward ducking behind her now-loose hair, hoping in vain that she could somehow quell the blush fanning across her face. She couldn't think of something to say. What she didn't want to do was open her mouth before she actually had  _something_  to say. Unfortunately her mind wasn't working quite so well with the lack of air in her body. She took in a deep, steadying breath.

"I'm… really hoping you're right." She said shaking her head, and mentally berating herself about such a stupid thing to say. "I mean… I'm not done with training."

"You'll never be done with training." He said. "Not really." His face took on a far-away look. "But knowing that so early puts you ahead of the game." He said with a nod.

She smiled. "Um… I'm kind of hoping that after I've done some hard-core work with my Air Training, I can move straight into Fire." She said with a nod. "I mean, Air really helps Fire, so it shouldn't be too difficult."

"Considering how easily you manipulate Fire already, it shouldn't be a problem at all." He said contemplatively. "You really are a natural."

"Or, I'm just studying subjects that I take to really well. I imagine if I tried Water I'd be really pants at it." She said with a sideways smirk.

"That does help." He said with a small smile.

"I mean, it can't be  _that_  uncommon.." She murmured, gaining his attention again. "I mean, the whole… works easy with fire because of air, thing…right? I mean, aren't most air naturals good with fire?"

"Not always. Your mother gravitated to water afterwards. Your grandmother too."

Vivianne's face became confused and curious. "Well...I mean, if Mom went with air and water, and grandmother too… and I mean, my Aunt's a well renowned Quanis as well...How the hell did I get fire in all that?"

Kedar grinned. "Well...I am a natural with earth and fire."

"A very frightening combination…" Vivianne murmured, somewhat awed by him (again).

Kedar nodded. "I take after my Father and eldest sister… and you know, my father's best friend was equally gifted."

In the quite after his words, Vivianne realized who he was talking about. "Grandfather!"

He nodded. "Your grandfather Zevon began as a Solum with a tendency towards fire." He said with a bright grin. 'Solum' was the name given to those specializing in Earth magic. "Just like my father." He seemed a little distant when mentioning his father, and Vivianne couldn't even begin to fathom what he could be feeling. Vivianne's father had just come into her life, and she found herself growing more and more attached as every day passed… she couldn't imagine what Kedar was going through... "What then?"

"Huh?"

"After the Fire work? What would you want to do then?"

"Well.. I mean, I've thought about working with you and Mom to figure out how to best incorporate what I've learned from Air and Fire into not just fighting but… you know life." She said with a shrug. "I'd really like to … I guess I just want to fine-tune and finesse the things that I  _know_  I'm really gifted at before moving on to something I may struggle with." She allowed herself a small smile. "It just seems like… better to make sure I've got this down pat before moving on to a completely different set of struggles."

He nodded. "That seems like a good goal." He chuckled softly. "You are much better at looking to the future than I am." He admitted.

She stared at him in shock for a moment. "Uh… how so?"

He shook his head. "I'm...  _very_  goal oriented." He admitted. "I see a goal, and I see nothing else."

"Tunnel vision." Vivianne supplied.

"Yes. Yes, this is accurate." He said with a self-depreciating smile. "You see your goal, but you see everything surrounding it,  _and_  you think of the future." He looked back to her. "Did I ever tell you about my sisters?"

"Um. You have 4 older sisters, right?" Vivianne remembered, wincing slightly at the thought of having 4 older sisters. Her mother only had one older sister, and Auntie Savrana could be  _very_  overbearing at times.

"Yes. Zanita, Parvani, Nirvelli, and Lilis."

"Wow. That's like…" Vivianne shook her head before letting out a tiny laugh. "I can't even imagine. I mean, eventually I assume I'll have some siblings, but… wow."

Kedar chuckled. "I grew up admiring my family. I was the baby, and in my mind there was nothing my family could not do. My mother was a goddess and my father a god. My sisters were fates and furies."

"Did they take turns at being fates and furies, or were they pretty much set?" Vivianne asked with a smile and Kedar chuckled.

"Some of them more than others were set, but they all took their turns. Zanita, the eldest, she was my father and mother's right hand. Her word was almost as indisputable as theirs. My middle sisters Parvani and Nirvelli were angels, but occasionally they became avenging angels. Their wrath, though not as obvious or violent as the others, was cool but no less frightful." He smiled softly. "I think I share that with them. I tend to quell my feelings to make logical choices."

"And the youngest daughter?"

He blew out a quick breath, making a 'plff' sound. "So vicious and loud that one." He observed, making Vivianne chuckle quietly. "She was the rebel. The one who would fight everything that she was told. If Zanita told her that the sky was blue, she would tell her that  _her_  sky was grey." He shook his head. "She was so frightened of becoming like Parvani or Nirvelli, or getting lost in the fold that she would fight just to be noticed. Better to be remembered as the loud one than not remembered at all."

"How'd you fit into all that?"

He smiled almost shyly. "I was the little prince. They all doted on me. I think that by then my sisters were so tired of having sisters. It delighted them to have a brother." He shook his head. "I didn't even realize it, but as I began to grow I began to resent them."

"How so?" Vivianne asked, her tone tinting with concern.

He shrugged. "I was the baby. There was no way for them to see me as anything else. I wanted to be my own person. I wanted my father to be as proud of me as he was of any of his daughters. I wanted… value." Vivianne held his gaze, opting to stay quiet instead of asking a question or butting in with her opinion. "I've already told you that my instincts did not surface until I was 19." Vivianne nodded. "I was hunting with Lilis." He shook his head slightly. "We were paired, but it was our duty to position ourselves so that we would spook the herd into running towards Mother, Father, Zanita, and Parvani." He looked down to the matt. "Suddenly, I could smell and hear every single elk in the herd. I could feel them as they shifted about, grunting as they grazed." He seemed so lost in the moment, as though he were there again in his mind. "I felt my body coil and spring, bursting forward without even a second thought. I darted at the herd and drove them forward. Before I could even hear my Lilis's cry of shock, I had moved them… and I was rushing at stragglers, making sure they would run with the majority of the herd." He paused, and Vivianne was very glad that he was so lost in thought. It really helped when she admired the column of his throat as he swallowed. "I singled out the largest buck, and I just took him down. Then I sprang up and managed to take down another…" He gave a single chuckle. "Then my mother tackled me into the snow and held me in place until I'd calmed down."

"I think your mom and mine should go bowling." Vivianne said with a somewhat frightened expression.

Kedar let his head lull back against the wall and laughed. Another sight that Vivianne felt very little shame in admiring. The way the muscles in his jaw and neck went taunt and then vibrated with laughter.

"I don't know if we should put two competitors in such a small space."

"You have a very good point there." She said, suddenly worried about whether or not the scenario would descend into some sort of wrestling match. "What happened next?"

He smiled. "My sisters were shocked. Their view of me was 'the baby' or 'the one we all take care of'…whether it was true or not." He looked over at her, his eyebrows raised. "To tell you the truth, I haven't really changed very much since I was a young man. I learned my place, what was required of me, and I did it with as little fuss as possible."

"Wow. You're right, you haven't changed." She said with a tiny chuckle.

"My mother said that I was so like my father. Motivated and capable of doing what needed to be done, but steady as a mountain." He smiled. "When my mother finally let me stand—and believe me, I'm completely aware that my return to the vertical plane was entirely her decision—my father came forward, put his hand on the back of my neck and leaned his forehead against mine. He smiled the most brilliant smile… and he said, 'Now, no one can deny that you're grown." He swallowed hard, looking back to the floor. "For the next week, I operated on auto-pilot. I don't remember a single thing that I did, but I know I did my chores because I would've been berated otherwise." He shook his head. "For so long, I only wanted my father to see me as an individual. I wanted to have value of my own, apart from my sisters. And in that one minute, I realized that I  _always_  had individual value. It was just me who didn't know it….once I accomplished my goal, I didn't know what to do with myself. In a matter of seconds, I'd not only been validated but also grounded. I realized that I didn't know everything about everything, and that I shouldn't make assumptions of what others are thinking." He smiled softly at her. "I realized that I needed to pay better attention to those I surround myself with… but I don't think I've improved much."

Vivianne scoffed. "That's hardly fair." She said slightly bewildered. When he looked at her, she had to remember to order her thoughts again. Breathing = in and then out and then in and then out and repeat. "I mean, you've helped me improve… isn't that something?" she asked.

He thought about that. "You are your father's child, Vivianna." Kedar said with a bit of certainty. "You would have adapted..."

"But you made it so seamlessly easy to adapt. You and Saza have been so… So crucial." Vivianne shook her head. "I can't...I just can't imagine a world without you in it. I mean…" She swallowed hard, her throat thickening up. "You're like my insides now." She said. "Life for me just can't be without you…" there was a strange warmth in his eyes now, and even though a part of Vivianne felt terrified at its presence… she wouldn't trade the world for it.

It tampered just slightly, the ever present soft smiling back on his face. He nodded, obviously pleased with the answer. "We should probably go now, otherwise your mother may try changing your father's mind." Kedar said as he eased his weight back onto his feet. Once he was upright, Vivianne smiled and let him help her up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so Toad's going back to face a storm that I'm pretty sure he isn't prepared for. Victor and Serus are about to have their first argument as parents… and somehow, Kedar and Vivianne are left to their own devices. I believe that most of that will be in the next chapter.
> 
> Something happened the other day, and it's a big huge fit of inspiration that led me into something I wasn't planning. Once again, it really seems like the story is more in control than I am. But I like it that way, and as long as you guys like it too, I'm coo. As always, feedback is always appreciated :3
> 
> Ok! ...it's 2 in the morning and... I need to pretend to be human during the AM tomorrow :) Peace out.


	14. The Best of the Bad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgotten - Chapter 14 - The Best of the Bad
> 
> Well, considering how huge this is, I'm really surprised I was able to crank it out so fast. Thanks for all the love and support everyone :3
> 
> I will not take too much time! This sucker is big enough on it's own :| Seriously, there's like over 7,000 words o..o
> 
> I don't own Marvel! I'd be seriously happy if I did. Please do enjoy what I've added to the universe :)

Mortimer had never moved so quickly in his life. It seemed like no time before he'd hopped out of the bird (literally), dashed down the hall, finally found Mystique who'd given him a 'get over there' nod with her head, and…well…here he was. Standing in the room, watching Telissa's back… It was the first time he'd ever seen her wearing clothes that actually fit her shape. Instead of the leggings and shirts that could double as a tent, she was wearing tight dark denim jeans and a sleeveless white shirt. Maybe it was having so much in his brain or not really knowing where to start, but unfortunately he said the first thing that popped into his mind.

"You've lost weight." If you cocked your head and listened closely enough, you could hear Mystique face-palming outside. Discretely though. So the neighbors wouldn't notice unless they were  _real_  nosey.

She stopped whatever it was she was doing, causing the world's loudest beat of silence to follow. "Well spotted." She responded, her hands furiously finger combing her hair away from her face. He watched her brush her hair back to a spot near the curve at the top of her skull, gathering it there tightly in one hand while the other tied it into a tight knot. Once she'd made sure that not a single strand had escaped, she continued with whatever it was she'd been doing before…He stared at her back as she continued to situate things in her backpack. He'd never seen her behave this way. She was always so open and bright and …warm. Now she was rigid and the furthest thing from welcoming. He swallowed hard, berating himself for fucking up so horribly.

"You… you can't go alone." He said, feeling like an idiot.

"Of course I can." Was all she said.

He sighed heavily, looking around almost desperately. "Look… Telissa, you… I.."

"Are we really going to do this?" Telissa interrupted tersely.

"…do what?" He asked blankly.

"This awkward talk."

"Hey, you're the one that's pissed at me." Toad responded crossing and then uncrossing his arms. He didn't know what to do with himself. He knew she was upset, but it was so odd speaking to her this way. "I mean, I can't even get any decent eye contact in here—" The instant it was said he regretted it, because she turned and pierced him with a glowing turquoise glare.

"Yes, I'm pissed. People are usually pretty unhappy when they get rejected." She said turning back and zipping up her bag. "I mean, it's not like you couldn't have been clearer."

"Look, I.. I just.."

"Honestly, Mortimer, I'm not stupid. I mean, I get it." Telissa spat. "There are two scenarios in which your behavior makes perfect sense. The first one: you didn't want it. Honestly, you don't want any romantic relationship with me, but let's face it you're a guy. And even if I'm not who you want, I'm still female, so you lost yourself in the moment, until you realized who you were kissing." He tried to interrupt, but she wouldn't let him. "The second scenario is the one in which you  _do_  want me in any sense of the word, but you realized exactly how difficult relationships are. That it takes sacrifice and compromise and exposure and vulnerability, and that was just too much to handle all at once." She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, and he could visibly see the muscles in her neck and jaw tensing… He stared at her in shock before lowering his eyes to her shoes. How the hell could she read him so well? "I get it. And that's everything as it could be for you, but I doubt very seriously what it could mean for me."

"I…I don't…" He swallowed.

She turned, slinging her backpack onto her shoulder, striding forward into his space. She wouldn't let him look away, that was exactly how severe her eyes looked. "Have you even considered how difficult it was to work up the nerve to kiss you?" She asked. "The voice in my head reminding me over and over again that on the one hand, I could very seriously fuck up a great friendship. The other side of me reminding me that fortune does reward the bold. Except, you know, when it doesn't." She drew back, shaking her head. "Well this makes things easier. I'll just go back where I belong and ask my brother to take my memory away."

"..He can do that?" Mortimer asked dumbly. She didn't respond, she just kept her head down, as if in shame. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat (seriously, why the hell did his tongue insist on bunching up there?). "I can't let you leave."

Her glare was back on him in an instant, and this time her eyes were glowing… like, literally glowing, meaning she was using her abilities. "I'd very much like to see you try and stop me." She said, her voice deep mixed with what was most assuredly cold but certain death.

"…I… I mean it, Telissa. I can't just let you leave. If I don't go with you… I'll hate myself forever." He said, and something in her face softened just slightly. "Besides… I know the easiest way to get you to the person you want to see, right?"

"I  _could_  find my own way." Telissa assured him, her tone less harsh than it had been only seconds ago.

"Yeah, you could, but I can bring you right there. Wouldn't that be better?" He asked. Of course, what he was really asking—begging—was,  _'Please don't hate me. Please let me try to fix it.'_  Because he wanted to fix it… he didn't know how, or what it would take on his part, but he was so willing to put himself out there and be as vulnerable and exposed as she needed for retribution.

The lines of her face relaxed and she looked away. After a quiet eternity, she gave a halfhearted shrug. He sighed in relief. "Good.. Right. Ok, I – uh, I just need to refuel the bird and—oh!" it was only then that he remembered. "I almost forgot." He pulled the tiny silver flask Mei had given him out of his jacket pocket.

Telissa jumped slightly, startled. She drew away as though he were holding a cobra. "What—Why?…" her voice was so light and high, like a child's confused questions.

"Uh, Mei said to give it to you for her payment or something."

"What?" Telissa asked, completely aghast. He thought it was odd, the way her hand was clasping at her own throat.

"I .. ok, she said it a certain way. Uh.." He cleared his throat. "All things being equal, I don't think my request is too great." Though Telissa's face sobered at the words, she still looked paler than chalk.

"She's right." She said with a nod. She held her hand out, palm up and he placed the flask in her hand. "You said you need to fill up the bird?"

"Uh, yeah, it.. may take about 45 minutes, maybe an hour."

"There's no rush." Telissa said absently, eyeing the flask sullenly. "If you need to eat or unpack or anything, I can wait."

"… You're sure?" Just a few seconds ago she'd been chomping at the bit, completely raring to go.

She nodded. "Yes. I'll be here, waiting."

Mortimer nodded, but he still found himself sprinting down the hallway back to the helipad. He didn't want to make her wait. The grunts could take care of refueling once he instructing them to… he needed to unpack, repack, shower maybe, and by then it'd be loaded and ready to—

He let out an undignified,  _'hurk!'_  as someone pulled on the back of his collar and slammed him against the wall. He looked into flinty golden eyes as Mystique loomed over him.

"Let's talk about this kiss I heard so much about." She said dangerously.

…oh, fuck berries.

* * *

Vivianne spun slowly in place as she waited for Leah to pick up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Leah, watcha upto?"

"Oh, you know. It's family day so I'm out with the rents."

"Oh. Fun." Vivianne muttered.

"Yeah… we're furniture shopping."

"Oh… Uh, not bedroom furniture I hope." Vivianne joked.

"Nooooo." Leah said with an exaggerated moan of frustration. "That happened once. Just once!"

"And you'll never live it down." Vivianne chuckled, giving a slightly worried glance towards Kedar.

"You're making certain fo that."

"Sorry to bother you while you're busy. I just wanted to check in."

"Yeah. How about I give you a call later tonight when Mom  _isn't_  giving me the stink-eye?"

"Sounds like a plan." Vivianne said with a tight smile. "Later."

"Bye!"

Vivianne sighed, making a face as she hit the 'end call' button.

"What's wrong?" Kedar asked.

"I'm afraid you just wasted your time chaperoning me down the elevator only for me to go back up." Vivianne murmured. "Leah's busy."

"Too busy for you?" Kedar asked.

"Well, it's one of their family days.."

"You are their family too." He reminded.

Vivianne shook her head. "It just feels intrusive… besides, right now isn't the best time." Auntie Savrana wasn't always an overbearing shrew about Vivianne's mom, but Vivianne really didn't want to tempt fate.

"Well…" Kedar began. "Your father only asked that I chaperone you while you were out… he didn't specify exactly where or for how long." He shrugged. "I  _could_  walk you back upstairs, or.."

"Or?" Vivianne prompted eagerly.

Kedar began to grin a bit. "A few blocks down is this place with the best bad chinese food in Manhatten."

Vivianne laughed. "The best  _bad_  Chinese food?"

"Oh there are many types of Chineses food, Vivianne." Kedar assured.

"Well, either way sounds better than going back and attempting to cut through the atmosphere back home."

Kedar nodded. "I received the distinct impression that your parents needed time to talk."

"Indeed." Vivianne murmured. She was extraordinarily touched when he offered her his arm as they left the building. It was such an old fashion gesture. "I'm, uh.. really sorry about how Mom was acting today."

Kedar shook his head. "Your mother is trying to protect you." He smiled down at her. "There's no crime in that."

"Protect me?" Vivianne asked. "By hampering my progress?" she shook her head, completely mystified. "What's she so afraid of anyway?"

Kedar began to shake his head minutely. "It…is not my place to interfere with your family, Vivianna." He murmured.

She put all of her effort into looking hurt, her eyes large and round as she stared up at him, feigning desperate need. "Please…" She pleaded. "You're my trainer.. my guide on the things I'll need to face…"

He chuckled, shaking his head, but she noticed that he wouldn't quite meet her eyes. She kept up the look of concern until his eyes returned to hers. He swallowed hard, his eyes darting away.

"Vivianna." He whined, looking down. "Those eyes of yours are dangerous."

She couldn't keep a straight face after that. She bowed her head just a little, letting her temple brush against his shoulder just slightly.

"Well… These dangerous eyes can be appeased with an offering." She hinted.

"Oh really?" He asked. "I suppose the offering required is not one of food?"

She chuckled. "No. Only knowledge." She said with a smirk. "And you have plenty of knowledge, don't you, Kedar?"

He shook his head again, this time a full grin tugging at his lips. "So dangerous, you are."

Vivianne's expression sobered slightly. "I  _do_  need to know, Kedar." She murmured, catching his attention. "I really do."

He sighed. "If you continued as you are now, you may very well be past most of your own age group." Vivianne squinted at that. "If you continue into an adult level, you will have to be acknowledged by your peers as an adult, which means.."

"Which means I'd have to meet challenges that were issued to me as an adult…" Vivianne assumed. "But that isn't all…" She saw his jaw clench and knew she was right. That wasn't really the core of the issue.

"True. But we are here." He said, motioning to a gaudy looking Chinese place. He stepped forward and held the door open for her. She eyed him warily, and he smiled easily. "I promise to offer those eyes of yours more information, Vivianna… But for now, let's just relax."

She found herself smiling before she'd even fully agreed. Kedar was always true to his word… Even though she wanted to hold on to her conviction, she really couldn't resist the idea of spending more time with him in an amiable fashion.

The double doors leading into the 'best of bad Chinese' weren't overly gaudy, but that was the only subtle influence in the place. The entire room was over-kitch Asian knickknacks and decorations and fabrics and wall paper and was that J-Pop playing? Oh, yes. Yes it was. Still, it was well lit; it boasted a Mongolian grill and sushi along with a very large triple buffet. Judging by the smell, Vivianne couldn't find a single thing 'bad' about the place…other than the over-powering décor.

"Do we seat ourselves or..?" She began to murmur.

Kedar smirked down at her, and then his eyes went to the other side of the room. His eyes narrowed, and Vivianne heard a single 'ding!'. Her eyes followed the direction her ears were telling her the sound came from, and she found a single oriental wind chime across the room near the kitchen. A man wearing a small chef's hat and a full apron that read 'Reave me Arone!' came rushing out of the kitchen and threw his arms open wide as if he were going to embrace them both.

"Haha!" he cried. "Kedar! So good to see you! Been a while since the last time, eh?"

Kedar chuckled as he grasped the man's hand in a firm handshake. "Yes. Yes it has been a while."

Unfortunately for Vivianne, the mysterious chef slipped into mandarin as he led them to a booth that was separated from the majority of the booths in the room, closer to the kitchen. Luckily, Kedar responded in turn, so she knew that it wasn't necessary for her to keep up this conversation. It was an interesting language, and she hoped that she could learn it one day… but it didn't change the fact that she knew nothing… well, except how to say 'ni hao', but that was next to nothing. It was fascinating to hear Kedar speaking mandarin. She was so used to his consonants dominating most of his vocabulary, not to mention when he slipped into his and her mother's language…well, it just  _wasn't_  mandarin.

Of course, if she'd been older, she probably would've realized that anytime someone starts speaking a language you don't know when you're right there… it usually means that they're discussing you. Vivianne just wasn't narcissistic like that, so she just assumed that whatever they were discussing had nothing to do with her at all. So she sat where it was indicated that she was supposed to sit and patiently waited for them to come back to English.

Kedar cleared his throat lightly as he sat down and motioned to her. "Jiang, this is Vivianne. Vivianne, this is Jiang Wei. He's the owner of this fine establishment."

Jiang scoffed, shaking his head. "Fine establishment." He laughed. "American's and their low standards." He shook his head, but his dark eyes were shining with joy as he smiled down at Vivianne. "Such a pleasure to meet you, young miss."

"Likewise." Vivianne said with a big smile. Something about Jiang's smile was infectious.

Jiang looked to Kedar and asked him something, again in Mandarin. Vivianne took that time to pretend to inspect the placemat which had the zodiac on it. If she would have understood mandarin, she would've known. But she didn't.

" _Your lover?"_ Jiang asked with a grin.

Kedar's eyes crinkled from a smirk while his eyebrows rose high. He shrugged before replying.  _"Not yet."_

Jiang's grin deepened almost conspiratorially. "Ah, I cannot wait to show you all the horrible things I'm concocting in the kitchen." He said.

"We could always take whatever is on the buffet." Kedar said, motioning to the three rows filled with steaming food.

"No, no, no!" Jiang rebuked. "You are our preferred guest. You always get the best of this tripe!" Then he turned and went back into the kitchen, but then he leaned out. "The best of the bad! You'll love it!" he assured before darting back inside.

"What… just happened?" Vivianne asked with a giggle.

Kedar shook his head but he was smiling as well. "Jiang thinks that the only good type of Chinese food is authentic Chinese food. Things made with ingredients he was taught to use when he grew up there. So, he believes this American Chinese food is all bad. No matter how I try to tell him, he just will not believe it. He thinks it's substandard."

"I suppose he's right in a way." Vivianne murmured. "I mean, ramen here and ramen in Japan is totally different. And, of course, the original's better." She shrugged. "It doesn't mean we can't make the very best of our second-class ramen, but it's still the truth." She smiled at Kedar. "You two seem thick as thieves." She noted.

Kedar's smile dampened just slightly, his tone lowering before he spoke. "Jiang's son, Hue, is a mutant." He confided. "I found Hue in great distress one day, and I helped him out."

"Nana Mei?"

Kedar nodded. "At first. A safe place for him to get grounded again."

"Where's Hue now?"

Kedar smirked. "Xavier's."

Vivianne's mouth fell open. "No way!" she whispered feverishly.

Kedar nodded. "Hue's grades are incredible. He's a real scholar. He absolutely loves to learn. So, Mei found out what he would need to get into Xavier's, and… well."

Vivanne shook her head slowly. "Nana Mei is so resourceful."

Kedar nodded swiftly. "Indeed. I'm sure that, to this day, the people at Xavier's don't know how Hue learned of their institute or exactly where his recommendation came from." Kedar's eyes drifted down to the paper placemats with the zodiac laced about its border. "So… which sign are you?" He asked.

"Oh, I'm a horse." Vivianne said without bothering to look down. "S'kind of obvious I guess. What about you?"

He smirked. "Snake."

Vivianne nodded slowly. "I suppose that fits." Vivianne leaned her elbows onto the table and said. "As diverting as all of this is, it still won't distract me from what I want to know."

Kedar chuckled softly. "Are you sure you aren't year of the dog? Considering how doggedly you hound me and all."

"Bite your tongue." Vivianne snapped playfully.

Kedar met her eyes. "The things your mother is keeping from you, yes?" Vivianne nodded. "Your mother is your mother, Vivianna. She is trying to protect you."

"From what though?"

"The world." Kedar replied smoothly, leaning forward as well. "You are her baby. Perhaps there will be more after you, perhaps not. Either way, you are her only daughter right now." He sighed. "I've already told you that instincts do tend to happen earlier in females, but never as early as you had them. Because of your breeding, because of your father's mutant genes, your body grew to adult size, and it matures faster than what is usual." He paused when Vivianne's eyes dropped to the table, a tiny blush blooming across her cheeks. It was still very odd to hear him say anything about her body.. she was used to him not noticing it. "Your mother is realizing what we've all be realizing…. You haven't  _just_ been maturing physically." He smiled. "Your heart is strong. You are wise enough to know that you do not possess all the wisdom in the world. And now your gifts, your connection to Lord Kaze is surfacing quickly… Already he's called you."

"Is that what that voice was?" Vivianne asked, her eyes narrowing curiously. "Was that… Was that Lord Kaze?"

Kedar nodded. "You said that you thought it was your father?" Vivianne nodded. "I heard my father's voice too, once when he was not present." His eyes had drifted away slightly, taken in by the memory. "I thought I heard him calling me from deep within the darkness of a great cave." He met her eyes again. "Lord Tenkaichi was calling me."

"The Earth Lord?" Vivianne asked, but already she knew the answer. She'd heard things about the Four Ancient Lords since she was a baby, but no one had ever told her anything in great detail. Still, Tenkaichi was not someone to be trifled with… he wasn't vicious like Lord Shakaku, The Flame Lord, but he was… he was not the type to snuggle up to either. Lord Kaze had always been portrayed rather playfully. He seemed so fond of all his followers, like a doting father or big brother. "What… What did you do?"

Kedar shrugged. "I went to him."

"…You  _went_  to him?" She asked, her face awash with fright. Was that was she was supposed to do? Go to Lord Kaze? How? How on earth did anyone meet with an Ancient? How could she possibly stand in his presence? What would she ever say to something so.. so..it was so overwhelming.

"My sisters tried to stop me, but my father knew." Kedar said, drawing her out of her horrified musings. "I entered the cave, unafraid…and then it sealed shut."

The air suddenly seemed to seize in Vivianne's lungs. The thought of being trapped in a dark cave, underground… "what…what did you do?"

He smiled. "I summoned bioluminescent crystals." He said simply. "I asked the Earth Lord to guide me to him… and he did." He chuckled. "I came upon an opening that had these…trees." He said as if 'trees' was not the right word he was looking for. "But then the trees  _moved_. Just think, I'm underground with these little crystals, and I see these trees near a huge opening. I touch the tree to feel what type of tree could possibly flourish underground, and it moves!" He shook his head. "It was his antlers."

"Lord Tenkaichi has  _antlers_?" Vivianne said with wonder. "But I thought all the Ancients were…well.. wolves."

"Essentially they are…" Kedar said with a quick nod. "His body, his face, it is that of a wolf, but he has different feet and.. well, antlers." His gaze seemed distant again. "I threw myself back from the abyss where those 'trees' were moving, and suddenly the cave was filled with light…. And then he turned his enormous green eyes on me… I stared at him, and he stared back at me." Kedar swallowed thickly. "I felt so small in that moment." He murmured. "I could have died, and the world would go on without noticing." He said with a tiny shrug, a frown tracing his lips. It made Vivianne's heart ache to even think of such a thing. As torturous as it was to have him near and unattainable, it was nothing to the thought of never seeing him again. "And then I kneeled, right under his giant maw." He said drawing in a deep breath, as though the memory were affecting him still. "My face touching the earth, I told him that I wasn't much of anything… but I would be something if I could be his."

There was a long moment of silence. "And?.. what happened afterwards?" Vivianne prompted. "I mean, obviously you lived."

Kedar chuckled. "Yes, I did. I felt a pressure against my back. When I turned my head, I realized he was resting the base of his chin against me. Not leaning on me, mind you, because I'm certain that would be fatal. There was this potent smell—like pine and sage and all manner of wood." Kedar's expression became serene. "When I looked up, his eyes had changed. Where once they had been evaluative, they were now accepting." Kedar smiled down at the placemat. "I placed my hand against him, and there was just an instant connection." He smiled. "And then, with his help, I opened the mouth of the cave and returned to my family."

"That's incredible." Vivianne said, completely awed.

Kedar shook his head with a tiny bashful shrug. "It is not  _so_  special."

"Of course it is."

"Vivianna, Solum have been connecting to Lord Tenkaichi for ages. I doubt my tale is  _very_  different from anyone else's."

Vivianne made a petulant face. "It's special because it was special to  _you_." She said.

He blinked, his face seeming almost mischievous as he eyed her with a soft smile. "I suppose you are not wrong there."

Vivianne made a show of unrolling her napkin and placing it on her lap, pretending to ignore him as he gave her such sweet eyes. "So, what exactly am I supposed to do? I mean, Lord Kaze has to be different."

"I would advise you not to do what it is you're supposed to do."

"I'm not saying I'm going to do anything." She said with mock innocence.

"Indeed." Kedar scoffed.

"But  _hypothetically_ , if an Aeris wanted to connect with Lord Kaze… how might they do so?"

He eyed her for a moment before sighing. "Each Lord has their own test. Sometimes other members of the order bring you where you need to be. Sometimes you are called and you simply find your way." He sighed, also unrolling his napkin. "I found out later that the place I had found was the Neverlight Caves." Vivianne felt her eyes growing to the size of dinner plates. "Your test will be no less daunting, Vivianna." Kedar confirmed. "For an Aeris must drop through the firmament of the sky to find Lord Kaze."

Vivianne felt like she was blinking awake form a dream. "The firmament… wait… how high up are we talking here?" She shook her head slightly. "I mean, we're not talking about mesosphere here are we? Do I need sponsorship from Redbull?"

"What?" Kedar asked, his face scrunching in confusion.

"I mean, there's levels, right?" She began to illustrate, placing her hand flat on the table. "There's troposphere," She brought her other hand up to indicate distance from her other palm, "stratosphere," she began repeating the gesture, like a strange game. "mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere, right?" Kedar observed her with a smile that crinkled the edges of his eyes, shaking his head slowly. "Kedaaaar." Vivianne whined. "I'm being serious here. How high do you have to be?"

Kedar couldn't contain it then. He simply let out a loud set of booming laughs that almost scared Vivianne until she realized he was laughing. It was a strange mix of emotions from fear to shock to fondness, but she couldn't help it… she'd never seen him laugh so openly before.

"Very high. You have to be very high to connect to Lord Kaze." Kedar said at last and Vivianne chuckled.

"I'm being very serious here." Vivianne scolded, but she couldn't hide the light in her eyes.

"Yes." Kedar murmured, trying to shake off his laughs.

"How high up in the sky does one need to be for this to be more than mere skydiving?"

"Above the clouds is the only  _real_ requirement but… I would say… 10 to 15 kilometers? Anywhere in that range is probably good." He said with a shrug.

"And cold as hell." Vivianne grumbled after the shock wore off. 10 to 15 kilometers? That was freakin'  _high_. How the hell was she supposed to get that high up?

"Most Aeris, by that time at least, are capable of shrugging off colder temperatures. If they try to go higher, it becomes a little more difficult of course." He bobbed his head from side to side as though he were weighing an equation. "The less air there is, the less they're able to control things." He sighed. "Of course, another thing your mother probably worries over is whether or not you will connect to Lord Kaze in time."

"…in time for what?"

Kedar looked at Vivianne piercingly. So much so that she almost wanted to shift uncomfortably—but she didn't!

"Before you hit the earth, Vivianna." Kedar said calmly.

"Oh, I… I just assumed I'd be able to somehow catch myself…I mean, I can kind of float, and I could always pack a shoot or something…" she trailed off when she noticed him shaking his head.

"No, that's not allowed. You are not allowed to exert any ability that could result slowing or stopping your fall."

"But… But what if he doesn't want to connect to me?" Vivianne asked, her voice seeming very small.

"Normally, an experienced Aeris is on hand to help in such an event." Kedar responded. "But it is still very dangerous. If Lord Kaze should find you completely unfit, he could thwart all efforts to save you." He said gravely. He didn't want to tell her that he would move heaven and earth to make certain that didn't happen.

"…so… So I should do this trial then? I should find a way to—"

"No, you should not." Kedar corrected quickly. "Your mother has already told you without telling you that she is not ready for this."

"But, isn't it disrespectful to hear him calling me and not answer?" Vivianne asked, frustrated.

"Perhaps, but Lord Kaze is infinite, and your mother is not." Kedar reminded. "The time you spend on this earth with your mother is limited, Vivianna… You don't want to tarnish anything by being too rebellious." He smiled comfortingly. "You need to learn patients, to govern the fire that so easily blossoms at your resolve. Learn to abide in another's will and temper yourself." He shook his head. "Not to mention that 'finding a way' is so much more difficult than letting the way open up for you." He placed a comforting hand over one of hers. "Lord Kaze has called you." He smiled. "He will not forget you or abandon you."

Vivianne gave Kedar a shaky smile. She almost-almost-almost forgot completely about all the problems with the trials of an Aeris and Lord Kaze just because of Kedar's simple touch. It was sickening. Completely against years of women's lib and the efforts of feminist around the world…. But right now, she couldn't be bothered by it.

Kedar smiled, but his eyes looked distant. "I'm sure your mother's told you of the story of Origins. In the beginning there was only the first 4 things which make everything that is now."

"The Base, the Bones, the Blood, and the Breath." Vivianne recited; tipping her head in a nod of acknowledgement. One that Kedar replicated.

"And those four things were what the four Ancient Lords were made to administer, the four elements that they are. After a time, they focused the elements into a manageable environment where every other creature could live and thrive."

"And then when the animals and people of the world were made, they were there as well." Vivianne finished. "Though, beings as the elves were the only races of their own design, I've always wondered why their presence was so crucial." Her tangent slowed when she noticed Kedar grinning at her. Vivianne cocked her head, her eyes widening in inquisitiveness. "Wait…they did more?"

"Technically, the four elf nations are the only races the Ancient Lord's designed…However, the Ancients supplied the raw materials for  _every_  race."

Vivianne half crouched, bending low to the table before whispering. "No way."

"Way." Kedar responded firmly.

Vivianne blinked before she let out a tiny chuckle. "You just said 'way' to indicate a positive response."

"I did… I'm not sure how I feel about that." He confirmed with a slightly worried expression. It was then while they were laughing with each other and before the conversation could continue that Jiange returned with five plates of food.

Vivianne's eyes grew large. "This is fantastic." She murmured.

"Ha! A girl who's easy to please!" Jiang said as soon as he'd put the plates on the table. "Always a good companion."

"I think I hear the voice of experience." Vivianne said with a grin.

Jiang nodded, ducking his head to hide his goofy smile. "My dear Lilan. So easy to please. Always happiest when she is with me and our children."

"You found such a treasure." Kedar said with a nod.

"Yes, I am a very lucky man. Now… you two eat your fill!" He said, darting back into the kitchen to deal with the coming rush of patrons.

"…Five plates." Kedar asked, looking over the spread before his gaze snapped up to Vivianne. "… you think we'll make it?"

Vivianne made a show of breaking apart her chop sticks. "Only one way to know."

* * *

The second after the door to Victor's home office was closed, Serus turned baleful eyes on him.

"What the fuck are you doing?" She demanded.

"I am letting Vivianne breathe. Something you seem to have a problem with." He rumbled, scarcely controlling his tone. If this continued, things were going to escalate very quickly.

"What makes you think you know the best match for my daughter?"

" _Our_  daughter." Victor reminded with a barely concealed snarl.

"You cannot for a single second believe that you can simply waltz in here, take a look around, and know everything that needs knowing, or do everything that needs doing."

He surged forward, pinning her to the wall with one hand just against her shoulder. "Well don't think you know everything just because you've been here the entire time." He challenged from behind bared fangs. Her eyes widened and then narrowed.

"Victor." She admonished, swallowing hard. It was then, when he smelled the blood, that he loosened his grip, his thumb gently rubbing down the column of her neck as if in apology. He hadn't really meant for his claws to slip out, but… dammit, she'd been provoking him.

"And you know what? That's another thing." Victor grumbled. "You're marrying me." He announced.

Serus's eyebrows went up high. "Oh really?"

"Yes. You are. And I'm adopting Vivianne as my heir, legally."

Serus's expression sobered to the point of being almost sullen. "She's my baby, Victor." She said, her voice only barely above a whisper. Victor hated the way it made his gut twist, seein' her eyes well up the way they were. She blinked away the tears, because she wasn't the first mother to look up and realize her daughter was soon to be her own woman. "My baby's growing up and it's… it's so fast. I haven't had half the time I need, and the world will be so big, and—"

"And we'll be there." Victor promised. "We'll be there for her at every step… but, Serus… you gotta let her grow."

"She is  _not_  performing the Aeris's Walk!" Serus said in a rush. "I will not allow it; it's too soon, and no one would deny that."

Victor nodded. "Okay, so no sky diving yet." He soothed. They'd be taking this one step at a time.. both mother and daughter would need it.

"You know about the Walk?" Serus asked, surprised.

"Kedar and I have been having quite a few long talks."

"That's another thing." Serus said, her eyes narrowing at him. "How long have Kedar and Vivianne been—

"Oh, please." Victor grumbled. "Don't tell me you didn't notice the change in her scent. I noticed it right away! The minute he got in the van. It's nothing either of them have acted on yet, but that doesn't mean it's any less serious."

Serus blinked. "Her scent?… I… I remember when she was first introduced to him. She was only a girl, but her scent changed noticeably. I figured she had a crush…" She shrugged. "Kedar would never have noticed, since her scent is consistent in his presence… oh.. damn."

"What?"

"I've always been grateful… Kedar has always been so willing to teach Vivianne and spend time with her. I had assumed that it was because of Father, but…" Serus eyed Victor. "Scent is very important." She smiled. "You of all people know this… My people have noticed that sometimes a female's scent will attract a male subconsciously. Neither of them are aware of it, but on a base level, he is more agreeable to her because he knows she is his match."

Victor blinked, his eyes skittering back and forth as he examined her words. It made sense, but how could Serus not know this until now? "…how could you not realize that?"

"She was a baby when it happened." Serus defended.

"She's still a baby." Victor reminded, and Serus nodded heavily. "She's our baby."

"I suppose… I mean, at some point I must have simply grown used to the change in her scent and then…"

"And then you didn't even notice it." Victor finished. Serus seemed so unhappy with herself.

"I guess this means neither of us really has to worry…" Serus mused. "They are well matched if nothing else… should we tell them?"

"Hell no." Victor muttered. "Figuring it out is part of the process. If we say, 'Hey, kids, you might as well just become an item since you're scents seem to like each other just fine', what do you suppose will happen?"

Serus nodded. "Neither of them would respond very well to that."

"Exactly." Victor confirmed with a nod. "Besides… he should have to work for her."

Serus chuckled. "He will." Her eyes lit up just a bit as she met his gaze. "Now.. about this marriage proposal."

"It's not a proposal. It's just what has to happen." Victor reported matter-of-factly.

"Oh?"

"Yes. You're mine. Vivianne's mine. I'm just making it nice and legal."

Serus pretended to consider this, nodding slowly. "Well… you realize what that means."

"I..what?" Dear God.. were they going to have to discuss dates and catering and dresses and… oh crap.

She leaned into him. "I get to make my own demands."

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt for you to state your terms." Victor began. But then his belt was suddenly gone. "What do you think yer, hooowwwee…" His jaw clamped shut as he tried to reign in his tongue. "Uh…. No fa-haaair making negations with….your hands in my –hooooly fuck!–pants."

"I want a lot more of this." Serus murmured against his collar bone.

"Don't you think –sweet jezzhus—I mean, we've been doing  _a lot_  of that." Victor said, trying not to pant obviously as she stroked him. "Maybe we should, I dunno talk about things a lot more so's this sort of misssssssssuuhhnDERstanding doesn't h-h-h-holy god-happen so often." His hips canted forward, almost timidly requesting more attention. Usually he was the one in charge of their coupling, but right now… right now, she had him at her beck and call. It felt… well, terrifying, but exhilarating as well. Part of him was actually nervous, but another part enjoyed her taking the reins. His toes curled as her nails scraped lightly over sensitive skin, and he tired futility to clench his teeth together to prevent a groan from leaking out.

"I don't think you fully understand." Serus said, nuzzling her noise against his jaw as her lips laced little kisses against his throat. He dared to glance down at her. "I want more children from you."

His eyes widened at that. The part of him that was very proud of having already sired Vivianne with her was very eager to answer to that call. But…

He clamped one of his hands on her wrists, stopping her from moving but keeping the pressure there. "Ser… what if the reason Vivianne turned out so incredible… is because I  _wasn't_ around to raise her with you?" There. He'd voiced the concern that plagued him. Hell… with his father and…the whole Jimmy situation.. it had to be said. She should know the possibilities before she really nailed that onto her list of demands.

The thing about Serus… she  _was_  a match for Victor. She hid it well, but it was no less a fact. No, she wasn't a mutant, but she was something more. For one, she was flexible… a couple hundred pounds of flexible muscle, and she knew exactly how to use it. In an instant, her hands were out of his pants, then a foot was square against his chest shoving him back. He landed with a thud in his office chair, and she was crouched over him before he could blink. Her fingers forked into his hair as she smiled down at him.

"You'll make mistakes, Victor. My behavior today is a prime example of a decent parent doing a bang-up job with decisions. But you'll learn and grow, and eventually get better as time passes."

He swallowed. "What makes you so sure?"

"Well, for one, because you'll want to." She smiled. "You want to be a good father, a good partner to me." He face became very serious. "And secondly, because if you don't, I'll kill you, wait for you to regenerate, knock your ass into the middle of next week and then tie you to the bed and show you who's boss on Thursday."

His eyebrows hiked up a bit, and he couldn't help but smile. "Good to know."

"Yes." Serus said, nuzzling his jaw. "It is good… It's good to have a partner that you're held accountable to. I'll hold you accountable, and you'll hold me accountable." She said with a grin. Then she kissed him… and again his toes were curling. Dammit, he was going to ruin his good shoes if this kept up.

When the two of the finally parted in desperate need of air, Serus said. "So, did you want to start doing all that talking you said we'd need to do, or…?"

"Or?"

"We could see if we can break this chair."

"We can talk once I've filled my part of the bargain." Victor rumbled, leaning up to kiss her again. The damn chair had it coming anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...so...I'm just...gonna slink over here and curl up in a story coma.
> 
> I'm not even gonna lie, you guys... I'm fairly optimistic, but seriously... NaNoWriMo's almost here. I doubt very seriously you'll be seeing me until sometime in December. If you're a Wrimo, then please tell me your handle! I will totally be your writing buddy :) If you don't know what I'm talking about, then go to NaNoWriMo . org, or google it and watch videos that John Green or ITalkToSnakes has made :3 they explain it nicely.
> 
> As always, let me know what you guy think of the new chapter! :D I live off feedback! Peace out!


	15. Wings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgotten - Chapter 15 - Wings
> 
> So, this is overdue, and not just because I haven't updated in ages :|
> 
> I don't own Marvel! Just Mei, Her house and the people working there-in, and of course Telissa :3 Please do enjoy what I've added to the universe :)

Of the top 5 things that indicate shit has officially hit the fan, Mystique finding out about the kiss with Telissa… that's probably number 2. Just for clarification: Number 3 is being tossed across the bay by a weather witch while lightning is striking your tongue. Yeah. There was quite a lot of pleading, a bit of romanticizing, and a lot of promising to be a good toad before she was willing to even let me stand upright. Finally, we came to an… agreement….in which, Mortimer basically promised to treat Telissa like a queen and not leap away like a girl if shit gets serious. For all intents and purposes, those were things he'd already resolved on his own… but knowing there'd be blue and gold fury waiting if he messed up was a great motivation.

So the rest of the time was spent in an absolute rush. After barking orders to refuel the bird, Mortimer made sure his backpack was stocked with the essentials he needed. He had time enough for a quick shower before he was rushing back to the bird again. Telissa arrived soon after, just when he was getting ready to go and get her. Even though living out of a backpack was something Mortimer was used to, it was still odd to see Telissa doing it. She had just one single pack, but something was different. He noticed a thick bandage around Telissa's wrist. He thought that odd since he knew that Telissa  _could_  heal herself. "Hey.." He murmured motioning to her wrapped wrist. "What's this? What happened?"

Telissa drew her wrist up and closer to her belly. She stared at him blackly before saying, "I fell." In a monotone voice.

…okay. And the message was sent with two simple words and a 'your mother's ass' tone. Suddenly the double syllable sentence translated to, 'it's none of your business. I don't owe you explanations.'.

Got it.

The entire trip had been painfully awkward, with distinct emphasis on the 'painful' part. The entire way, nothing but quiet. Not comfortable quiet either, this was heavier than shackles about the neck and wrist. Mortimer didn't ask questions anymore. The few moments he spoke was to tell Telissa basic directions like, 'we'll be getting off the subway at this stop' and 'we'll be taking a taxi from here'. These were met with absent nodding.

Reaching Mei's Café was bittersweet. For one, the dull murmur of conversation and the encouraging beat playing over the sound system directly contradicted the restrictive silence between them. It made Mortimer all the more irritated. And secondly, he was terrified of losing sight of Telissa. Would she be whisked away only for him to never see her again?

"Can I he—Oh! Toad, hey." The girl who had led him up to see Mei before approached them. He couldn't remember her name though.

Mortimer just nodded towards Telissa. "Mei's expecting her." He said.

"Yeah, yeah." She responded, setting the menus in her hand on the counter. "We were told. Please, follow me." She said leading them straight to the stairwell at the back. She looked back over her shoulder at Telissa. "I'm Bethany, by the way. What may I call you?"

Mortimer noticed the corner of Telissa's mouth twitch upwards in a half smirk. He had to wonder what was funny about what Bethany had said...

"Telissa."

"Ah, one of the triplets." Bethany said with a nod as we walked up stairs. As Bethany untangled her bracelet to find the correct key-bead, Mortimer noticed that there were three beads on her bracelet. From his brief stay here, he had to assume that one of the beads led to her bedroom and the yellowish-orange one led to the common room….he had to wonder what the last bead was for.

This time the common room had three people in it. A set of twin teenage girls and a guy Toad had never met. They were talking animatedly until Bethany walked in with Toad and Telissa, then they went quiet. They exchanged a series of questioning looks with Bethany and then quickly cleared out.

"Mei will be right down. Can I get you two anything?" Bethany asked.

Mortimer had begun to shake his head, but Telissa said, "Whiskey." which surprised the hell out of him.

"Coming right up." Bethany said, slipping behind the bar.

"You drink whisky?" Mortimer asked.

"On occasion."

"Considering your Celtic origins, I suppose that isn't  _too_  surprising." Bethany said, which made Mortimer do a double-take. Since when did  _Bethany_  know anything about Telissa? Mei breezed in just as Bethany set the shot glass onto the bar.

"I'd be willing to bed there's a lot you don't know about her." Mei said as she approached the bar and straddled a stool herself. There was one stool between both Mei and Telissa, but Mortimer preferred to hang back and observe. There was obviously a lot that he didn't really  _need_  to be around for…he couldn't leave though. So he stayed and observed… If he paid attention, he might-could learn something.

"Safe bet." Telissa grunted. "You would be being Mei."

"I would." Mei said with a smirk. "And I hear you are being Telissa."

"As long as it suits me."

"Likewise." Mei nodded. "The form you're wearing is quite convincing, even if a little…extreme."

"How kind." Telissa murmured. She reached into her jacket pocket and tossed that tiny silver flask to Mei. Mei caught it with one hand easily. "I would ask  _why_  that was necessary, but perhaps I would find the answer unsavory."

Mei's expression flickered just slightly to offend before settling into something more firm, though there were definite hints of compassion. "It will be used to help me find the exact location of your siblings." Mei said. "While I understand your aversion to it, my purposes are straight forward."

Telissa considered that for a moment before nodding. "I apologize—"

"No." Mei interrupted her. "You are not wrong to be cautious." She took a deep breath, looking down at the bar. "It is becoming more and more difficult to discern who is trustworthy and who is not."

Telissa's brow lifted, her face relaxing for the first time in hours. "Indeed." She murmured.

Mei eyed Telissa up and down before speaking again. "This will take some time. I've arranged quarters for you." She took another breath before carefully saying, "Your siblings will not be pleased to see you looking so waif like."

Telissa chuckled, still staring into the wood grain on the bar. "You're suggesting I rest my ease and take refreshment—"

"I assure you, you'll find no food or drink in my house which would bind you." Mei looked Telissa over, and Telissa finally met Mei's eyes. "Your light grows dim."

Telissa's eyes widened before narrowing—it almost looked like a facial twitch. "I didn't realize that you were…"

"No white top have I." Mei said with a soft chuckle. "But the Light has certainly blessed my life."

Telissa sighed heavily, her eyes drifting away. "I have recently been less aware of my own needs."

"It happens." Mei said. She reached out into the open space in front of her, and two bracelets that were hanging on the peg board tossed themselves up into the air before gently twirling down into Mei's palm. Her eyes drifted to Mortimer, who up to this point had been trying to be as quiet as possible. The conversation in front of him had been covert, laden with hidden meaning he couldn't begin to process. But he had a good memory, and he fully intended to use it. Mei opened her mouth, probably to ask what he was still doing here.

"He's with me." Telissa said before questions could even be asked. Mei eyed Telissa's profile as Telissa poured and knocked back another shot of whiskey—something Mortimer still couldn't get over.

Mei smiled, almost a mischievous little smile, and handed Mortimer one of the bracelets. "Maybe you can show Telissa around this time." She said.

"Yea, sure." Mortimer said with a quick nod before snatching the bracelet from her. Telissa stood without even a single sway, retrieving her own bracelet. She noticed the blue bead paired up with the orange one that would lead back to the main room.

"Nice." She said with a soft chortle.

"I thought it was fitting." Mei said with a soft look in her eyes and a warm grin.

Mortimer eyed the turquoise bead, wondering at its significance. He shrugged and walked over to the nearest crystal doorknob. He opened the door, letting Telissa enter first.

While this room was much larger with more furnishings it was darker and oddly shaped compared to the last one he'd stayed in. The door opened on a small entryway, with a door on the left wall which led to a full bathroom suite. Walking further into the room, down a small hallway, there was a full kitchen on the left, and a large open living space beyond the kitchen counter tops. The walls, though they looked like some sort of dark grey stone. The kitchen's cabinet cubbies and countertops seemed to be carved of the same rock.

"Wow." Mortimer murmured, eying the enormous platter of fruit and vegetables. "Looks like you're some sort of celebrity here." He eyed Telissa, hoping she'd be willing to share the secrets of the past conversation. She reached forward—nearly brushing against his side as she did, and he had no plans to move—snatching a slice of mango from the platter on the 'island' countertop that divided the kitchen from the living room. "Why do I get the feeling they know more about you than any of us ever did?"

Telissa chewed a bite of her mango slowly before her eyes drifted up to meet his. "Mei knows the needs and capabilities of my kind." She said at last. Her eyes closed as she took another bite. "S'been so long since I've had mango." She said softly.

He half smiled, amazed that a single slice of fruit (and no doubt several shots of whiskey) had changed her attitude. She looked so much more relaxed… he suddenly resolved to buy her platters of mango, if that was what it would take to make her happy.

"You know, if you would've mentioned…" Mortimer felt his throat close up as her eyes met his again.

"What?"

"You said…" He swallowed hard. "You said that Mei knew what you needed." He shrugged feeling helpless as he looked back down at the platter. "This isn't too difficult or anything. If you would've said, 'hey guys, you know what I need? Fresh fruit and veg. That'd be great for me.' I-We would've gotten it for you."

Having finished the slice of mango, Telissa reached forward and snatched a stalk of celery with shrug. "I never lacked for food, Mortimer. It was more that...everyone requires more protein than anything." She said before crunching into the celery in her hand. She gave a little chuckle. "There's peanut butter in this."

"What?" Mortimer asked, leaning forward. He hadn't really been paying too much attention to the stalks of celery, because…well, they're celery!

"Look." Telissa murmured, turning the vegetable around. The natural dip of the celery did indeed have a slathering of peanut butter inside it.

"Augh…" Mortimer said, pulling a face. "That's…that's just.."

"Don't knock it till you try it." Telissa said, holding the celery up.

"Uh, no. I think—" But before he could continue, Telissa had shoved the damn thing into his mouth.

"Chew." She instructed. He bit off a piece and started chewing. To be honest, the taste wasn't  _too_  bad. The peanut butter was tasty and the celery was sort of moist and bland, but crisp. It wasn't the sort of thing he would think to pair, but… it wasn't  _bad._  It was just.. odd. "So?"

He bobbed his head back and forth, in a 'so-so' mime. "Well..it isn't bad." He said. "Not what I would've asked for, but not bad." There was a beat of silence, interrupted only by the crunch of celery as Telissa took another bite. "Telissa… what did Mei mean when she said that thing about the form you're wearing?" Telissa's lashes lowered as she looked down at the platter on the countertop. "Do you… do you not look like this?"

"I do now." She murmured.

Mortimer blinked. "But not always?" she only shrugged, which wasn't much of an answer. He decided to stop beating around the bush and just ask the obvious question. "Are you a shape shifter?"

"No." She said quickly. He eyed her, hoping that she'd elaborate on her own. She sighed. "Shifting is what Mystique does." She said. "I don't do that."

"So…what do you do?"

She chewed another bite, finally finishing the noisy stalk of celery off. "I was called a 'changeling' once." She murmured. "Because I can change this form."

Mortimer nodded. "The way that Mystique does."

"No." Telissa said firmly, grabbing a slice of peach. "It's not the same." She shook her head. "Mystique 'shifts'; I 'change'."

Since each question he'd asked directly had been directly answered, Mortimer decided that was the best course of action. "Okay, what's the difference?"

Telissa bit her lip, wandering around the other side of the countertop. She stood in the living room, facing him as the counter top with its fruit/veggie platter between them.

"Shifting is short term and it takes consistent effort. Not much effort on Mystique's part, because she's a high class mutant." She took a bite of a carrot stalk. "But if Mystique falls asleep or loses consciousness, her form goes back to the form she was born into."

Mortimer's eyes narrowed slightly, though for all intents and purposes he was staring suspiciously at the innocent fruit tray. He was slowly processing what Telissa was saying, and deducing her meaning. "So… when you 'change', it's more of a permanent thing?"

Telissa's head lulled slightly to one side and then the other, but she nodded. "More or less."

"What about you has…" Mortimer reconsidered the question in his mind. "How do you really look?"

Telissa eyed him in that eerie dead-eye stare. It was as if she were looking through him, into him, evaluating the parts of him that were on the inside before speaking. "Not much has changed really. A few ascetic details here and there."

"Like what?" Mortimer asked.

"If you could change your appearance, how would you?"

Mortimer blinked. "Uh… My skin tone and texture I guess…" He said. "The coloring."

"That's what I've done." Telissa said curtly.

"Your skin tone and the texture of your skin is different then?"

Telissa sighed, and he could tell she was getting tired of the prodding. "The tone and texture is much the same…" She shrugged. "There are a few oddities that I've changed, and my coloring is normally different. My hair and eyes especially." She glanced over her shoulder as if eyeing something on the floor just behind her. "A few… obvious details that would mark me as not human."

Mortimer nodded slowly. "Were you…were you ever going to tell me?" Her brow came down harshly, and he quailed internally over her glare. "I mean… tell any of us? Pyro and Mystique, do they know?"

"Does it matter?" Telissa asked, her tone rising just a hair. "I mean, does what I look like  _really_  matter that much?"

"Well, it obviously mattered to you, or you wouldn't have changed it." Mortimer reasoned holding his hands up in surrender.

"Oh please." Telissa bit out, wondering around the countertop—this time to stand in the tiny hallway, neither in the kitchen or living room. She leaned a bit, letting her hip rest just against the countertop as she popped a big of pineapple in her mouth. "I hide myself for survival and to keep people from getting caught up in what I look like. You're one to talk about it."

"What's that mean?"

"You can't let yourself relax around me, because you're so caught up in the fact that you think you're unattractive."

"That isn't why." Mortimer grumbled.

"Oh really?" Telissa challenged.

Mortimer shuffled. "There's the age thing too."

"What?" Telissa squeaked in shock.

"I'm a lot older than you."

"You are  _not_."

"Now it's my turn to say 'oh please'. You're what? 21? Are you even legal?"

"Mortimer,  _I'm_  older than you." Mortimer laughed at that, shaking his head. "I am." He stared at her disbelievingly. "I am 48 years old." Telissa said and Mortimer's expression changed to absolute shock.

"I…what?" Mortimer asked. "Really?" Telissa nodded. "...are you… I mean, did you change that about your appearance too?"

Telissa rolled her eyes. "I told you, I basically look the same now as I did in my actual form." She looked away. "Just… a few things that are obviously not 'normal' for an average woman were changed. I assure you, I'm no withered husk hiding behind the guise of youth." She sighed. "If I stay in this form, it will grow and change according to my actual age, habitat, and diet. I just… I age differently from you." Telissa looked very uncomfortable, and before Mortimer could ask, she murmured. "It bothers me a bit that you're so preoccupied with form."

"That's hardly fair." Mortimer argued as gently as he could. "I mean… My life is defined by what I look like. That's what I'm used to. Then I find out the way you look isn't  _really_  the way you look."

"It could be. I could go to my grave looking like this."

Mortimer shuddered for a second.. just thinking about Telissa cold in a grave somewhere. It made his gut twist and grow cold. "Please… don't say things like that." Mortimer murmured. When Telissa blinked at him he explained. "I… Thinking about the world without you in it, it's just…" He shook his head swallowing harshly. "Everything would be duller." Telissa looked down, blushing just slightly. "I'm sorry." He said at last as he felt something inside him snap. She looked back up him. "I.. I never meant to hurt you, I just…" He swallowed. "You were offering me everything I wanted, and I'm not… I don't…" he shook his head, looking down at his boots. "That doesn't happen for me. The bottom always drops out, and the thought of losing it all…" He spat out a harsh laugh. "It never occurred to me that what I did was going to cost me everything anyway."

He looked up as he felt something move against his forehead. She brushed an errant strand away from his face…his hair was starting to get long again.

"You haven't lost anything."

"No, but… I hurt you." He said simply.

"You made everything very clear." She said, looking resigned and miserable.

"I didn't." He said, shaking his head. "I want you.. All of you. But I…I don't get that." He said. "And.. the thought of getting close to you and then loosing you… I was afraid, because I'd let my guard down and you'd see me. All of me. And then… what if, you realized.."

"Realized what? That you're human with all the trappings and vulgarities and vulnerabilities and beauty and spite and great potential that comes with being human?" Telissa eyed him. "I care about who you are in spite of all your shortcomings… what you are doesn't get in the way of that."

Mortimer ducked his head, not able to meet her eyes. She continued to slowly finger comb his hair. "So uh…" He cleared his throat, because there was obviously gravel in his air ways. "Um…what do we do now? I mean.."

"One day at a time." Telissa said. "When you need space, I'll give it to you. But I want you around. I need you." Her hand trailed down the side of his face, and he couldn't resist. He carefully grasped her wrist in both of his hands and angled her hand, so that he could gently kiss her palm. Mortimer was utterly shocked when he realized, in that single moment he had taken her breath away.

He carefully cradled her wrist, one final thing bothering him. "So..can you tell me what this was about?" He asked, his thumb carefully brushing over the bandage around her wrist.

Telissa stuttered just a little, making strange croaking sounds as though she were trying to speak even though her throat were especially dry. "I..uh…The flask.." She swallowed, looking down. She took a deep breath to steady herself. "You remember that silver flask that Mei sent you back with?"

"Yeah?"

"She needed something from me to help find my siblings." She said.

Mortimer looked down at the bandage, his eyes widening before he looked back up to Telissa. "What'd she need."

Telissa smiled softly. "Blood." She said simply and Mortimer felt his mouth drop open. "The flask was to hold blood." His face went into completely appalled outrage, but he couldn't speak. It was the first time he'd ever gotten himself tongue tied. "I know, I know, I was just as worried about the entire thing. I mean, it can be a gateway to terrible things—"

"You don't say!"

"And! The whole blood thing can be an awful taboo."

"Taboo? Taboo? That's what you'd call it?"

"You don't think it's a taboo?"

"Well, if by 'taboo' you mean 'creepy as fuck' then I totally and completely agree with you." He said.

"But! It turns out Mei's purposes aren't nefarious." Telissa said trying to be soothing. "Admittedly, my parents often warned against contracts signed in blood, or people otherwise requiring blood for services, but … I'd say Mei is a decent person. Her motivations are entirely straightforward."

Mortimer shook his head, still baffled. "So.. You cut yourself open and filled that little flask with your blood.." He licked his chapped lips. "No wonder you were staring at that flask like it was poison." He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "So…what were you afraid would happen if that flask was for something bad?"

Telissa shrugged. "There are a number of things that can be done with someone's blood. Being bound to another's will is chief among them…" Telissa's eyes seemed distant for a moment. "My mother used to tell us a story..." She took in a trembling breath. "The story of the Winged Woman who fell in love with a man…" She swallowed hard, and Mortimer could feel her trembling slightly as she took another steadying breath. "The two loved each other very much, but the man was afraid she would fly away one day." Her lips pursed slightly. "So he found a way to bind her wings."

Mortimer stared at Telissa completely aghast at such a tale. "And… what happened to the woman?"

Telissa's eyes snapped up to his. "She died." She said softly. "For all our power, we're sensitive creatures."

Mortimer found himself really thinking over the story along with what Telissa had said afterwards. It sounded less like a fable with symbolism and more like actual fact.. "Do you.. have wings?"

Telissa was silent for a while but then her eyes slowly drifted up to his. "I don't  _now_."

Mortimer felt his face flex in surprise, his eyes widening. "Did you have wings  _before_  now?"

A little smile played about Telissa's mouth. "I was born with wings." She said, and Mortimer was surprised not only by the actuality of someone  _born_  with wings (that would be a seriously strong mutation) but by her answer it without him having to drag the answer out. "Just like my father. And his parents before him."

Mortimer's brow peaked. "It genetic then…" he murmured.

Telissa actually laughed. "You could say that."

"Genetic mutations aren't anything to laugh at, Telissa." Mortimer said.

"Ah, but in that much you are wrong." Telissa said. "Not about laughing at genetic mutations, you're correct there. But you're wrong in assuming the wings are mutations." Mortimer blinked at her, but she didn't let him have time to say anything. "Lojen are all born with wings. Ryjen as well."

"What… wait a minute.. What's a Low gen?"

"That's what I am. And it's all one word. Not Low or Jen, but Lojen."

"…what's Lojen then? And what's Ryjen?"

"Ryjen is what my brother is." Telissa eyed Mortimer for a moment. "How many races would you say are on this planet of ours?" She asked him.

"I… Uh.. well, let's see…there's Caucasian, Asian, African americ—"

"Em-Em-Em." Telissa chastised, wagging a finger at him. "Those aren't races, they're ethnicities." She smiled. "After all, there's only one human race, even mutants are still born from human mothers and fathers."

"So… only one?"

Telissa shook her head. "There are, technically.." She looked upwards, as if examining the ceiling would help her with the answer. "12…? 14? …We're going to say 14, just in case. There are 14 sentient races on this planet. Human is only one of them."

Mortimer stared at her for a moment it utter shock. He roughed scratch the side of his head, trying to order the thoughts hopping around in there before speaking. "You're not human..." He said simply. It was the only thing he could come up with

There was a heavy pause as they stared at each other. Finally, Telissa spoke. "I am not."

Mortimer let out a heavy breathe, putting both of his hands against the countertop and trying to hold himself up. "Alright.. Okay. Not human, that's fine. What's great about being human anyway?" He let out a tiny huff, looking up and squeezing his eyes shut before opening them widely. "Okay… Just need a second to breathe here."

Telissa smile, her eyes shinning though that could be from the excess moisture in them. Was she afraid he'd balk when he learned that? Technically, he was sort of balking. Not permanently, he just needed a second to really think about that.

"Breathing's good." She said. "From what I understand, it's essential."

He nodded, laughing softly. Same Telissa. Human. Mutant. Not. Still Telissa. Or whoever she was. He let out a long breathe. "Okay. So. Not human." He nodded. "That's… well, I mean when you think about it, that actually makes more sense. No one could be as awesome as you, cook as great as you, and still be mortal." He said with a swallow.

She lowered her head, her forehead brushing against his shoulder. He'd missed their closeness… he hadn't realized it till just now. He might've been just a tiny bit nervous (understatement) about the whole non-human thing before, but with that little gesture… he didn't care. He longed for her again the way he'd always longed for her before. He almost understood the secretiveness. She was right, he was obsessed with form just like everyone else. There was no wonder they were hiding.

"Why… I mean, I know why all the hiding." He said with a nod. "Really, I get it. No one gets it more than me, I guess… I just want you to tell me the official reason—"

"Thousands of years ago, we were killed by the hundreds." Telissa said dully, and Mortimer felt himself writhe internally. "We know…." She swallowed hard. "It was determined then that humans were neither be underestimated nor trusted."

He swallowed hard, nodding. "I guess.. I mean, the logic is there." He said. "I was afraid it was something like that." He sighed. "Hundreds?"

Telissa sighed. "Once upon a time…" She said with a little smile. "There were great and terrifying creatures calling themselves the Races of Order. They called themselves this because they were part of dynasties called Orders and because they knew it was their calling in life to protect and manage the world. They were the Bronze Order, The White Order, The Order of Fang, and the Order of Three." She looked at him. "But they learned the hard way that humans don't like being told what to do."

Mortimer snorted. "That much is very true."

"Being tempted by darker forces, the humans gained the trust of my people and then launched a massive coordinated attack on each one of the orders. The Orders fled to safe harbor, and the other races plead with the Four Lords for a safe haven of their own."

Mortimer's brow peaked curiously. "Other Races?"

Telissa nodded. "Once the Orders had fled, they were left behind in the wilder world… they were afraid of what would happen to them, but they didn't need to fret for long." She took a deep breath and then deflated. "After licking their wounds, the Orders returned in force…" She paused, as if the words were weighting her down even as she spoke them. "and killed most of the humans that had attacked them. The other Races still wanted safe haven...so the world was given a shadow…and in that shadow do the other races dwell. It's a world that spins to the dance as this one, is the twin of this one, but lies behind a veil where humans do not go."

Mortimer blinked. "So..it's like a parallel dimension?"

Telissa considered that and nodded. "I suppose that's an acceptable definition." She said before grabbing a slice of tomato. "One part of this world we live in is the one we see with our eyes every day. But there is another where the other races are… sometimes the lines blur…" She said with a smile. "Which is why humans still have stories."

Mortimer was slowly nodding. "So…why are you guys still here?" He held up his hands. "Not that I'm not grateful, I mean, I wouldn't change meeting you for anything but… but after all that…"

"Originally, we didn't stay." Telissa informed. "There was a severe split in the ranks. Many didn't want to risk living in this world, so they sailed away to safe harbor. Others stayed because they were stubborn." Telissa sighed. "Some dumb ass notion that this world is still ours to protect." She said with a shake of her head. "Other stayed…because they felt the blood vendetta had not been satisfied." She said grimly. "Our people have laws. If blood is shed, then blood is owed. A living person can choose forgiveness, but death is given for death…It got to the point that orders were given to recall  _all_  forces. Eventually, everyone withdrew from the world of men...till recently."

Mortimer sighed, shaking his head. "It's so much." He murmured, hanging his head slightly.

"Have I overloaded you?" Telissa asked, looking up at his face. "Do you regret… Do you wish you didn't know?"

He shook his head quickly. "It'll take time to absorb everything." He said, suddenly finding it easier to breathe. Throughout her entire explanation he'd been so baffled, his mind racing. But now, it was like it was all gelling in his mind. Soon it would firm up and be easier to bear. He let out a heavy breathe. "I suppose I've only got one more question for you then." He said with a nod.

"What's that?"

He looked down at her, stepping just into her space. He felt like he knew the answer to his question, but it was still nerve-wracking to ask. "Will you…" He was trying to think of the best way to put this. The most romantic? The most practical? What should he actually say? "..be mine?"

She smiled and leaned herself against him. "I already am."

He nearly gasped, but was flooded with the scent of her hair. If nothing else, the world in here was at peace. He could learn as much as she'd teach him, because maybe knowledge was power but having her at his side… that was the real reward.

"One day at a time." He said softly.

"One day at a time." She confirmed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that's up, I can tell you that I did manage to win NaNoWriMo :3 I was very pleased with myself. Alas! My novel still isn't finished, so I'm trying to finish that, which is why this has been so delayed. Working on multiple projects all at once is very difficult. But I am trying! There's still so much that needs doing. Telissa needs to find her siblings, Vivianne needs to meet Kaze, Mei needs to tour Xavier's, oh man! So much to do! .. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever get around to doing it all properly.
> 
> So!...Enjoy the new installment? Like? Love? Repulsed? Lemme know :) I'm fueled by feedback.


	16. The Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgotten - Chapter 16 – The Four
> 
> Oddly enough, the only person I don't own here is Mortimer :)
> 
> Sorry for not posting sooner, but it wasn't finished. I'm still buried under NaNoWriMo. So priorities, right? Also, this story is becoming more complex. God, I hope I can keep up with this.
> 
> Enough apologies! You want the story!

Vivianne's training had slowed considerably. To be honest, she was surprised how much that didn't bother her. When this had all begun, when she'd finally discovered her true connection and been able to accept it, she'd been so eager! She wanted to learn, explore, adapt, and soak up all the knowledge she could concerning her craft. And when her mother had pretty much thrown her into a bog, she'd thought holding back would try her patients every day. But that wasn't the case. She was still astounded how focusing on basics was allowing her to finesse techniques she'd only ever seen Nana Mei and her mother perform. She was now capable of halting sound, casting sound into different locations, 'lassoing' objects with air and making them move, and consistent hovering. As for progress…well…

She'd talked secretly with Kedar about how to handle the, uh… voice. Kedar had affirmed that ignoring this voice was the wrong thing to do. Ultimately, when an Ancient Lord calls your name, you answer. Honestly, even in human society, it's rude to ignore someone who's trying to talk to you. Of course, Vivianne couldn't exactly say 'yes, sir!' right away, with her mother's decision to cap her progress. But Kedar reminded her that communication was what was desired above all. She couldn't obey the call of the wind, and that wasn't her fault. He advised her to discourse with the voice the next time it spoke to her. To explain her circumstance and position. This way, Lord Kaze would not feel ignored. And it was lucky that she'd had the curiosity to actually engage in this conversation, because it wasn't long before the voice returned.

Meditation was something Vivianne had actually begun to enjoy. It helped her focus on her breathing and feel the flow of air in her own body. It also helped to settle her after a long work out in which the main obstacle was trying to hold herself back. It also served as a great way to calm down and let her muscles relax. She'd simply sit in the lotus position with her palms up and her eyes closed and enjoy the feel of time as it passed.

_'—yan—!'_

Vivianne felt her eyebrows peaking together. The whisper was nearly unidentifiable. "What?" She asked softly. "I didn't understand—"

 _'Vivianne!'_ This time, the whisper was nearer, more distinct.

Her eyes opened wide at that, and she noticed that all the windows in her room had opened. It wasn't the sort of thing that could just  _happen_. One does not simply walk into Mordor! Windows here didn't simply fall open. They had to be opened. Which mean that someone had opened it.

 _'Vivianne!'_  And now, the whispering voice was in the room…very near her… almost right behind her, actually.

She closed her eyes and swallowed hard, refusing to allow fear to stall her a moment longer. "Lord Kaze, I.. I hear you." She murmured softly. She had no idea how her mother would react if she were to find her speaking to the voice, so she opted to keep her tone quiet. "I would come to you, Lord." Vivianne continued. "But, I'm just a girl. I'm not even 15 yet." She swallowed again, but now that she had started, the words just poured out of her. "I subject myself to the will of my parents, and my mother will not allow me to go to you yet." Vivianne felt and heard her voice cracking near the end of that sentence. Only then did she truly feel the frustration mount into something that felt so indomitable. She  _wanted_  to learn. The desire burned in her so keenly in this moment, and to deny it... "I haven't the conviction to defy her, Master, but I—" her voice garbled slightly, but she was saved from continuing.

 _'Vivianne.'_  No longer a whisper, but a distinct murmur right beside her left ear. It was a man's voice, well… male. It sounded light and pleasant, almost teasing. It wasn't gruff or intimidating at all… it was…inviting and warm.  _'I know.'_  Vivianne felt her body relax at this knowledge. She opened her eyes, and the windows that had opened slowly swung so that there was only just a crack in it.  _'_ Hear _me.'_  The voice continued.  _'Do not turn away from me, and I will not turn away from you. If you listen, if you pay attention, I will walk with you all the days of your life. And when the time comes...'_  the windows now slid completely shut.  _'..the way will be_ made _.'_

Vivianne swallowed, feeling a rush of warmth at the words from the wind. It was nothing like the scalding fire of denial she'd experienced…this acceptance was gentle. "When you show me the way, I will come to you." She promised.

_'And as I guide your steps, I will be the wind at your back.'_

Vivianne sighed, and she felt her entire body slouch forward in relief. "Thank you." She murmured.

_'Shall I teach you something?'_

Vivianne's spine coiled like a spring, snapping back up into upright formation. "Yes!" she winced at her own exuberance. "I mean, yes, please." She repeated.

She heard a light hearted laugh. She smiled, unable to feel abashed or even embarrassed.  _'I sense a second connection. It is rare in one so young.'_ The voice said.  _'My sister protects you as well, though your connection to her isn't as great as my own.'_

"Your… Your sister, my Lord?" Vivianne asked, confused. Lord Kaze, the mover of the four winds, had a sister?

_'Do you not know her name? My sister, the Flame.'_

Vivianne gasped. "Lord Shakaku is a  _girl_?" she asked in shock.

 _'The look on your face!'_  The voice said with another chuckle.  _'Technically speaking, there are none like us. However, the forms we take do tend to fall into one of the two categories. Mine always lends itself to the male form, however Shakaku's form is decidedly more curvy.'_

Vivianne felt her eyes go wide. "That's incredible." She whispered. "Everyone always says 'Lord Shakaku', never Lady Shakaku."

 _'Because she isn't a lady. She is a Lord. We are all four of us Lords.'_  This time the voice was distinctly more firm, though not entirely reprimanding. It still demanded respect, that much was obvious.  _'Understand. The sex our forms bear do not influence our potential or powers. Do you suppose because I am distinctly more masculine than my sisters that I could not create life?'_

"I…" Vivianne hesitated. Had Lord Kaze ever created life? "I do not know, Lord. Have you? Can you?"

There came a stillness, and Vivianne worried that she had said the wrong thing. Had she offended him? Would he no longer speak with her?

 _'Child,'_  the voice began softly, and Vivianne relaxed, so happy to hear him again.  _'how much have you been taught?'_

Her shoulders hunched slightly. "Obviously not enough." She murmured. "I am young, Lord." She reminded. "My mother worries that the world will come for me too soon. She will not allow me to advance." Vivianne ducked her head just slightly. "I cannot knowingly supersede her will."

 _'I can.'_  The voice said with certainty.  _'I will teach you.'_

When Vivianne could peel her eyes from the floor, she saw him. Well… sort of. He was sitting (if you could call it that) in front of her, mimicking her position. It was actually more like hovering, really. And his form wasn't solid. He wasn't more than vapor solidifying into a visible form. His hair was long… at least, she thought it was. It was sometimes shoulder length, and sometimes longer, but always moving around him. His skin was pale and his face… how to describe him? He was like and yet unlike anyone, so how  _could_  you describe him? The closest person she could really draw on was Jackson Rathbone. Only much older, though certainly not torn down by age…but when he smiled, there was a certain impish almost childlike look to him, and Vivianne found herself smiling back at him.

It was almost too much to hope for. The thought of having this connection directly… it was mind-boggling. All at once Vivianne was terrified, and yet at the same time she felt invincible.

Vivianne smiled. "Teach me. I'm yours."

He smiled. _'Not entirely yet… but very soon.'_

* * *

Mortimer hadn't realized exactly how tired he was until after he and Telissa finished chowing down on that tray of veggies and fruits. The two of them had finally sat on the futon that was in the living room area, and once conversation lulled into little murmurs…well...to be honest he couldn't remember the last thing they were talking about.

When he woke up, Telissa wasn't in the room. For a moment he panicked, but then he realized that there was a light coming from underneath the bathroom door. The door cracked open just a tiny bit, and he heard Telissa ask, "Are you awake?"

"Yeah, sorry." He murmured, rubbing over his eyes.

He heard a soft chuckle. "It's nothing, Mortimer. You looked like you needed the rest, and I wanted to shower just to wake up a little more."

"Emh." Mortimer shook his head vigorously. Maybe he should shower... Wait, did they even have enough time before...uh...whatever it was Mei would be doing? "Hey, when do you figure we shoul—" His words died in his throat as the door to the bathroom opened fully.

Telissa was wearing his shirt.

Just. His. Shirt.

It covered her completely, but it wrapped around her the way he wanted to wrap himself around her. She shut off the light in the bathroom which was shining behind her, and he blinked in surprise. It was only now that he realized her appearance had changed. Most noticeably, her hair wasn't brown any more. It was blue with strange lines of cinnamon-brown highlights. Varying shades of a vivid light blue...the color matched her eyes and followed through into her eyebrows. Her eye lashes were the cinnamon brown but they were tipped in blue.

His eyes met hers when she shifted her weight in a nervous fidget. Honestly, the way she was hunching up her shoulders and shifting her weight onto one foot wasn't helping him to be coherent at all. Her hips became that much more obvious, and her shoulders…. What was that on her shoulders?

Mortimer stood and took a few steps closer, ignoring the way Telissa seemed to shift back. He figured it was instinct and she was just feeling self-conscious. There was a tiny blue stone on the curve of Telissa's shoulders...And on her face. One on each of her temples, a small one just between her eyebrows, and one on her chin. As he examined her from there, he realized they were everywhere. One was in the dip of her collarbone, one on each elbow and over the inside of each wrist.

"This is how you look." He murmured in realization. It was so simple and obvious.

"Some." She murmured, shifting her weight again.

"Some?" He asked gently, cocking his head in hopes of catching her gaze. "There's more then?"

"I…" She swallowed. "I have wings, but…" She shook her head. "They'd be very cumbersome here."

"Cumbersome." Mortimer repeated. It wasn't really a question, but it was very clear that he didn't understand how the term applied.

Telissa cleared her throat. "In enclosed spaces they can be difficult."

"To maneuver?" He asked.

"That, and...it's just painful." Telissa said. "I don't understand it entirely myself, but my father complained of the same thing. He said it was bad to have wings in a space where they couldn't be spread."

Mortimer nodded dully, more than a little mesmerized by everything that was in front of him. Not that Telissa didn't mesmerize him on a regular basis, but this was her at her core…and it was so different. "What are these?" he asked pointing to the little stone protrusion that was peeking out from the neck of his shirt.

Her hand fluttered over it. "It's um... It's something we all have."

"All?"

"Father and Mother and my siblings… we all have them." She said, still not meeting his eyes.

"And they're all the same?"

"Sort of." Telissa said shrugging. "There's really just one difference and it's in the placement and size of the stone on our foreheads." She said. "Father and I both had small ones just here.." She reached up and touched the tiny stone outcropping between her eyebrows. "But, Mother and Lisa and Anthony have a much larger, round stone that takes up most of the space on their foreheads."

Mortimer couldn't stand it any longer. He reached down and gently tipped Telissa's chin up so that he could look into her eyes. They were wide with worry. He let himself scan over her face, smiling softly. "This is what you were so afraid to show?" he asked. She blinked rapidly. "I mean, have you  _seen_  Marrow?"

"I know, but.." her eyes darted away before returning to his. "We're taught to hide for survival. But it's all illusion and then deception and..." she swallowed harshly. "Not everyone reacts well when we try to reveal ourselves."

Mortimer nodded pensively, slightly captivated by the blue stone that capped her chin. "That makes sense. If I could hide I would." As his finger gently skimmed the edge of her jaw, his thumb caressed the stone on her chin. "Is this turquoise?"

Telissa gasped, leaning slightly more into his space. Her wide eyes changed slightly. They seemed rounder, and the irises glowed as it encompassed nearly her entire eye, her pupils dilating.

"Telissa!" He yelped, hoping he hadn't hurt her. His arm tentatively went around her waist, hoping to steady her without harming her further. As it was, he could feel her trembling slightly against him. "Are you alright? Did I hurt you?"

"No.." She gasped, coughing just slightly as she tried to catch her breath. "Not pain. It didn't hurt. It was just.. jarring."

"Are these sensitive?" He asked, slightly enticed by the ability to affect her in such away.

"This form senses things more…acutely…but it wasn't just the touch." she took a deep breath. "So…That's what it feels like."

"..what what feels like?" Mortimer asked cautiously.

She lifted her gaze to stare at him. "You…" She swallowed hard. "You said my name." When his eyebrows rose in confusion she elaborated. "My real name."

Mortimer reexamined his words..  _'Is this turquoise?'_. That was all he'd said… His eyes darted around Telissa's frame to all the little stones laced into her skin. "Turquoise?" He murmured.

"Mortimer!" Telissa cried sounding scandalized, as she buried her face against his neck. Mortimer couldn't help the wolfish smirk that slithered across his face. This was promising.

"Is that sort of reaction normal?" He asked, trying to sound concerned. In truth, he was a little concerned. If she had this sort of reaction every time someone said her real name... well, it was no wonder she didn't want to just hand it out to everyone.

"I don't know."

"Hm." He murmured into her hair. "So…for now, I think I'll stick to calling you Telissa." He said with a bit of light humor in his voice.

"I'd appreciate that." She said, with humor and relief tinting her voice.

"You should probably get dressed." He said reluctantly.

"Yeah.." She murmured, leaning away slightly. She still seemed a bit shaky. "We should probably…find Mei and see when she'll be ready for us."

"That too." Mortimer said with a tiny smirk.

"What do you mean, 'That too'?" Telissa muttered as she located her backpack. Mortimer tried not to watch, but in the silence it became more than apparent that she was waiting for his answer. He peeked over at her, and was relieved to note that she now had pants on.

"I want to make love to you." He said decisively, making her freeze in place. It was almost bewitching to watch the fain pink blush bloom across her face; a stark contrast of her usual pale complexion and those tiny blue stones. "Not here or now, because I'd really prefer to have the time and energy to…properly perform."

Telissa's lashes lowered, another contrast against her blushing cheeks. "Of course."

"You certainly don't make it easy to stick to that thought process." He grumbled, but couldn't deny the delight of seeing her smile in such a self-satisfied manner. "So…how many of those stones are.." He waved up and down, gesturing to her entire body. "..on you..?"

She smirked impishly. "Maybe whenever you have the time, energy, and inclination to follow up on your words, you'll find out." She said, making him chuckle.

"Oh, I will." He said with conviction. "I will." He watched as she stood up after putting her socks back on. She took a deep breath, and Mortimer watched as the tiny turquoise stones faded. They became paler and paler until they matched Telissa's actual skin tone. Then their texture shifted from smooth stone to smooth skin…and then, he couldn't even see them anymore.

"This might make things a bit more bearable." She said as she wrapped herself in a purple woolen sweater. He was happy to note that her hair was still blue. He liked her better that way…the way she was supposed to be. "Now… let's go see if Mei is ready."

He nodded. "Right."

When they both entered the main room, Mortimer was happy to notice just the one girl he'd known from earlier was there. Bethany? Was that her name? Yeah..Bethany.

"Hey." She said, her expression was strange. Like she was worried about something, but trying to rally. "I think Mei is in the globe room." She said without either of them asking. Mortimer squinted at her before exchanging a curious look with Telissa. Telissa seemed more concerned for Bethany's obvious dismay.

Bethany fumbled with her bracelet before pulling out a smooth blue and green bead that had strange pale marbled veins in it. She swallowed thickly as the door knob changed and seemed to twist itself open. She pushed the door open and stepped aside to stand by the doorway. Mortimer was a little worried. After all, it seemed like Bethany was terrified of whatever or whoever was in this room that she was ushering them into.

Mortimer stepped carefully across the threshold, eyeing the darkened room warily. There were very few light sources, and it was dark and stormy from the looks of the outside… The three almost gothic looking windows with pointed arches, all of which were joined, strange woven patterns in the stained glass, but it was obviously a dark stormy night today…Mortimer looked back over his shoulder, through the autumn shades of dust planning against the windows in the communal great room… This building made  _no_  sense.

In this darkened room was an ornate sofa with a high arching wooden back that swept into grand arches, along with matching legs and detail on the arms, though Mortimer couldn't quite make out the color of the fabric. There was a chaise longue across from this sofa, however it was occupied by one of the room's occupants. Three women there were, assuming that they were women at all. Mei was inspecting objects that Mortimer couldn't quite make out. She was near an end table that was at the foot of the chaise. A woman with long pink hair (yes, pink!) occupied the chaise, laying on her side, most of her weight against the back of the chaise. She seemed to be looking back towards the remaining female, a redhead that was looking out the middle window.

Mortimer jolted slightly when the door behind them shut. Great. They were trapped with the beasts.

"I…" Telissa said as she stared at the back of the mysterious redhead. The woman was wearing the fluffiest looking white coat. "I know you…don't I?" She asked, her voice laced with uncertainty. "I mean, I've seen you before.." she shook her head as if to jar memories loose.

The red head in the long, fluffy white coat turned around fully. At first, all Mortimer could think was  _'Grandma, it's me. Anastasia.'_  With the way she just cast her coat off. She was wearing a sleeveless white shirt, though not a cheap one. It looked to chic to be cheap. There was a long dark metal necklace— hematite maybe?— dangling around from her neck. Her jeans were white… at least on the front of the legs they were white. The inside of the pockets up front were black, and likewise the back of the jeans were black with white back pockets. She wore a dark, almost metallic looking belt made of segmented circles that overlaid on top of each other with several keys jangling down from the rings. But then, Mortimer got to her eyes… her face was …well she was beautiful. Old school Hollywood, Gina Davis, Judy Garland, Rita Hayworth, beauty…but her eyes were glowing dark red… and then the glowing faded down, making her eyes look brown. She walked through a shadow as she approached, though there wasn't anything in the room that would cause a shadow like that. When she drew closer and her features were more definable, she had grey-blue eyes set into her milk-white skin.

"Hm." She murmured as she eyed Telissa. "Yes. I remember you. Strange that you should recognize me." She smiled, but it wasn't welcoming or friendly...it wasn't mean or cruel either, it just lacked …warmth. It was more like… "You may've caught a glimpse of me out of the corner of your eye… some 30 odd years ago." …sympathetic. That's what it was. It was gentle, but it was the gentleness that comes from a lifetime of delivering bad news.

The woman seated beside Mei let out a soft little chuckle. "You know her name then?" Telissa tensed up somewhat at this, and Mortimer had to wonder yet again why that would be a bad thing. There were so many things that seemed to spook Telissa, and he still hadn't figured out why.

Again that gentle half smile tugged at the red-head's crimson lips. "I know it, though it wasn't given to me." Telissa seemed to relax a bit. "Your father said it to me...by the road side."

Telissa's eyes narrowed slightly. "You…are you one of the—"

"You've no need to worry." The red-head cut Telissa off. This time her smile was a little fuller, somewhat more pleasant. "And you both have a long road to go before I meet either of you by the road side. Besides…" She slowly eased her fingers into her back pockets. "I'm more concerned with your sister." Before Telissa could so much as ask, and Moritmer could tell by her startled expression that she did want to, the woman said, "Now her!" she motioned back to the lounge and the lazy goddess elegantly sprawled across it. "She is someone you very much want to concern yourself with."

Aforementioned goddess scoffed, deigning to swing her legs forward and stand up. She wore a very strange outfit… it fit her more like a wet-suit hugging her feminine figure. She was long legged, like Telissa, but without looking…well, Telissa looked somewhat malnourished lately. This woman was sleek muscle. Lean and yet curvaceous and…captivating. Mortimer almost felt guilty for paying this much attention to just her body.

She was wearing… what the hell was she wearing? He thought it was black at first because it was that dark, and light seemed to shy away from it. In fact, it was almost a burgundy color...a very very dark purple-tinted burgundy It started just around her mid thighs, went up over her hips, and then up the front of her torso, looping around her neck. Her shoulders, arms and most of her back was completely bare, except for deep, beryl-green ties that laced just over the small of her back along the sides of her…outfit. These (what Mortimer thought) useless sued-like cords started about the middle of her back and tied into a small bow right above the small of her back before the outfit took over. Her hair was long, like hip-length long, and it was a pale, almost pastel-ish pink… though it was more vivid around her scalp and faded in spots near the ends of her hair. Funny thing, her eyebrows and eyelashes were the same pink. The closest person Moritmer could think to liken her face to was… Kate Hudson, but even that wasn't quite right. Her eyes were wider, more piercing and vivid… also they were blue-green…or green-blue. Whichever. And her lips were more sharp, bow shaped, though not lacking in volume. Damn…he was staring. Damn-damn, double-damn.

He swallowed hard and looked away, thankful that Telissa was just as caught up in studying this woman.

"Which…" Telissa swallowed, her eyes narrowing just slightly. "Which one are you?"

Those bow-shaped lips thinned just slightly. "Alub, the white horse." She said, and Mortimer made a note to ask what the hell 'all oob' meant.

Telissa took a sharp breath before her eyes turned to the red-head. "…You.." Telissa breathed.

"Pallor." She said. Wait, Pallor? Didn't that mean… sickly or something? The way she said it was breathy, like… Pah lorr, rolling the r on the end almost harshly.

Mortimer hung his head. "I seriously need some sort of English to Ancient Mythical Races translation book or something."

The red head let out a breathy laugh, her blue eyes shining. "He's funny." She murmured to Telissa. "My name is Ruby." She said smiling. "Ruby Graves."

"Graves?" Mortimer asked.

"And I am Alexandra." She smirked, a mischievous sort of expression that didn't bode entirely well. "Alexandra Concor." She seemed to eye Telissa sternly. "Do you know of us, child?"

Telissa nodded. "I.." Her eyes went to Ruby. "I believe my mother told me of you, though...perhaps not in the fullest capacity."

The two women exchanged a significant look.

"Indeed." Ruby said with a sigh. "This is part of a separate, larger issue."

"Are there not two others?" Mei asked absently, still staring at the table she'd been standing in front of earlier.

"Yes." Ruby said with a soft smile. "Neigedis and Rabrum."

"Okay." Mortimer said with a frustrated huff. "Maybe the answer's gonna be, "Can it, Mortimer", but I gotta ask. What are all these words that aren't you names? Are they like titles or something?"

"Something." Alexandra murmured with a smirk, and suddenly she wasn't looking so attractive anymore.

"I suppose 'title' is close enough." Ruby said, eyeing Mortimer. "Alub, Rabrum, Neigedis, and Pallor; that is the order that they are usually in.. especially in your stories. It's a type of code that signifies our status."

"Is this wise?" Alexandra asked, eyeing Ruby. Ruby's gaze swiveled to her and Alexandra shrugged, holding up her hands in surrender. "In the end, you always get the last word anyway." She said with a playful half-smirk.

"And they're…." Mortimer's eyes were going between the two of them. "..they're horses? I mean, that's what you said, right?" He said motioning towards Alexandra. " 'Alub, the white horse', you said that."

"Yes. That is what she said." Ruby confirmed. "Alub, the white horse, followed by Rabrum the red horse."

"…wait a minute." Mortimer murmured.

"Then Neigedis, the black horse, and finally Pallor."

"This horse isn't by any chance…" Mortimer felt his mouth going dry, and swallowed in hopes of working up some moisture. "Pallid?"

Ruby nodded. "Sometimes blue-lipped and ghostly pale, and many times a putrid sort of yellow." She smile. "But always sickly pale."

"And you're Ruby Graves.." Telissa said, her voice cracking slightly. "The Ace of Spades."

Ruby chortled softly. "That is a banner I've not carried for quite some time." She said with a strange, sort of nostalgic smile. Her eyes focused sharply before snapping up to Telissa. "As I said, you've no need to worry. _Aeterquis_  can wait a little longer."

Mortimer blinked. "Okay, two things. One:" He pointed to Alexandra, "Does that make you Pestilence? And two: What's Aterkis?"

Ruby laughed, turning towards Alexandra as she leaned back on her heals and giggled her joy up towards the ceiling. "Ayterkis!" She crowed loudly.

Alexandra snorted, shaking her head. "One, I prefer the term Conquest or Victory really" she corrected, smirking as her lips curled around the terms. "However, if I have every intention of conquering someone, I can be quite a pest about it."

"And as for Ayterkis!" Ruby said still chuckling softly. "It's more like… Pronounce the beginning like you're Canadian, you know like 'eh?' So it's more like Eih-tear-kis."

Mortimer was nodding slowly, but drawled out. "That still doesn't tell me what it is."

"It uh.." Telissa blinked. "It can mean a couple of things.. Um. Life in Eternity is one of the most direct translations." She said shrugged. "Essentially, the afterlife."

Mortimer took a moment to look between these three women as he assimilated this information with what had been said.  _'Aeterquis can wait a little longer'_  So… translation: the afterlife can wait. "So, you're not gonna kills us." He gave them both thumbs up. "That's good. Everything after that's pretty arbitrary, right? I know  _I_  feel better."

Ruby smiled brightly. "I like him." She said to Alexandra.

"And I assume you understand now why their presence is required." Mei said. Oh. Right. She was still here.

"Wait what?" Mortimer queried.

"I'm…I'm still not clear on that actually." Telissa said softly, looking about as shell shocked and confused as Mortimer felt.

Mei stopped whatever she was doing, looking over at them in surprise. Her eyes darted between Ruby and Alexandra almost accusingly. Ruby and Alexandra traded another one of those looks that obvious meant something big, but it looked a lot like an old married couple exchanging a  _'I'm not responsible for this—but if you would've cleaned the gutters it wouldn't be an issue—every time we go to your mothers place this happens'_  sort of interchange.

"The Ancients are going to  _love_  this." Ruby muttered.

"Keep the Lordly talk to a minimum, alright?" Alexandra sassed.

"Why would the Goddess of Death and Alexandra the Conqueror be necessary for this?" Telissa questioned.

Mortimer's eyes widened comically as he looked at Ruby. "Goddess of Death?"

"Certainly not." Ruby muttered.

"So you're not the Goddess of Death?"

Her expression became more severe. "I am Ruby of the Fourth World. Elder Lord of Rest, The Dead, and keeper of the keys of  _Aeterquis_. I'm…more like an official really, performing the duties ordained for me." She looked away. "Certainly  _not_  a goddess." She said, scoffing at the term.

"Yeah, but you  _can_  see how that would be confusing." Mei murmured. "I mean, sure you don't  _control_  death, but you keep the fourth world in order, granting the ultimate rest,  _and_  you're immortal."

Mortimer raised his hand as if he were in school waiting his turn to be called on. "Uh, Immortal sure sounds like goddess material to me."

Ruby's expression became more shrewd. "Very well." She grumbled, her arm extending as a bright red apple formed in her hand, and Mortimer actually took a step back. He eyed this apple as though it were a serpent ready to strike. "This is a caridi." Ruby said, snapping his attention to her face.

"Uh…I'm pretty sure it's an apple."

Ruby smirked. "So what you're saying is we have two different words for this fruit?"

Mortimer blinked before smiling slightly. "Okay, so… what you're saying is that my term 'goddess' isn't acceptable to you because it's not your word for it?"

Ruby smiled in satisfaction before chomping loudly on this very juicy, crisp apple. "Hmm." She murmured, closing her eyes as she savored the sweet taste. "I wub carahdi." She murmured around the mouthful.

"This is.. fascinating." Telissa muttered. "But we still haven't gotten any further in this venture."

" _You_  haven't gotten anywhere." Mei replied smartly. She pulled out a long crystal obelisk. The point was completely clear, but the base was dark red…and just above that, the crystal seemed to be tinted pale blue.

"That's…" Telissa stared in complete shock.

"A simple crystal. Nothing more." Mei murmured, affixing the base of the crystal into some sort of silver-like setting. "However, it has been sitting in the blood that you gave me for the past four hours." Telissa blinked, her eyes darting between Ruby and Alexandra. "Of course  _Quaeqdux_ , even if there are only two out of the four, are required to be here because they are your commanders."

"Wait a second—"

"We are the heads of the army." Alexandra clarified. "I have my division. Ruby has her's. There are two others—"

"Who should hurry themselves up and  _get_  here." Ruby muttered.

"—and together we function as the commanders of the army of the Order of Three."

"Technically, any order coming from one of us is incomplete for you, dear." Ruby murmured to Telissa.

"Yes." Alexandra said, eyeing Telissa up and down. Mortimer did  _not_  like that. Not one little bit. It seemed like Telissa was a piece of horsemeat that Alexandra was debating the worth of. "Technically, you fall under my jurisdiction."

"And your sister would be mine." Ruby said.

"The fact that you're among the missing is what concerns us most." Alexandra murmured, her expression somber and her voice distant. It was the first time she didn't seem snarky.

"The missing?" Mortimer asked.

"There have been many who have gone out into the wider world and never returned." Ruby clarified. "They're called 'the missing'. Your parents did this, and it's fairly obvious they had every intention of remaining 'lost'."

"They…They wanted to return to our homeland." Telissa said. "They wanted to raise their family on the land of their forebears."

"Yes." Alexandra acknowledged with a slight nod. "And that is why no one ever knew of you after their passing."

Telissa blinked and looked to Ruby. "You did." She said bluntly.

"I'm afraid the fourth world is without time, dear." Ruby said gently. "I had no idea the context of time at your parents' passing… only that they had earned their rest."

Telissa stomached that, leaning her weight onto one foot as she swallowed harshly. Mortimer drew close to her side, and felt relieved when she leaned into him, drawing on him for support. "So…they rest?" Telissa asked.

"Peacefully." Ruby confirmed. Telissa nodded.

"Alright back to the issue at hand here." Mei quipped, gaining everyone's attention. She took a deep breath. "Alright. Telissa. The reason Alexandra and Ruby are here is because they command half of the army of the Order of Three. You are a member of the Order of Three."

"So… they've come because they're leaders?" Telissa said.

Mei nodded. "In times of war and peace the Four Commanders, or Four Horsemen as the humans began to call them, are always present for whatever decisions are made." Mei smiled. "Easier to make sure orders are clear with the commanders knowing exactly what decision has been made."

"The Elders of the community are  _technically_  our leaders." Alexandra said. "However, they rarely leave our safe haven unless it's absolutely necessary, and we can confer with them on a telepathic level."

"It makes travel moot." Ruby said. "But we still like to arrive in person, especially when it concerns finding one of the missing. It'd be downright weird for you to simply have illusions of us or disembodied voices to speak to."

"I suppose.." Telissa said absently, trying to imagine what that would be like.

Mei sighed. "All of this red tape, I tell you what." She muttered.

Ruby and Alexandra smiled at her. "We do appreciate your willingness to help us in this matter." Ruby said, the sincerity in her tone removing whatever political edge the words may've taken.

"Now!" Mei cried, holding up the obelisk that had been securely affixed to the base and chain. "Shall we find your siblings?"

"Please." Telissa said with a sigh.

Alexandra cast her arm up in a wide arc, snapping her fingers loudly. Mortimer almost imaged that he could see the sound traveling through the room, because as it radiated out from her the objects in the room disappeared… or were transported away, or became invisible, either way. The room was bare. Just Mortimer and Telissa near the doorway, Ruby on one side of the room, Alexandra on the other, and Mei holding the crystal obelisk and chain….

And then, Mei let go of the obelisk, and Telissa tensed up. Mortimer was almost afraid it would hit the ground and shatter…but it didn't. The chain went taunt, and the crystal began to swing from the ceiling. The blue tint began to glow as Mei whispered indecipherable words into the air as she stared at the glowing symbol. And then, after a few passes, the obelisk froze, pointing to one specific location on the floor. The crystal lit up, white this time, like a flashlight. Mei sauntered over and squatted down looking at the floor. She looked up, meeting Telissa's eyes.

"The Bottom." Mei announced.

"What?"

"Your siblings are in Saba. It's, ah… East.." She waved her hand in the air as if to say 'so-so'. "North-east of San Juan, in the Caribbean."

It was then that Mortimer got a good look at the concrete floor, he realized they entire room was a map. He didn't recognize all of the names, or even some of the positions of the land masses, but a map it was nonetheless.

"I…so…we need to go to Saba." Telissa said absently, and Mortimer could see that she was thinking so fast that she couldn't even do more than stand there and let herself think. "What do they speak in Saba? Sabanese?" Mortimer chuckled softly at this.

"Dutch and English. They're part of the Netherlands, actually." Ruby murmured.

"What?"

Ruby shook her head. "It isn't important, and to answer your questions – No. You don't need to go to Saba."

"I don't?"

"No. You don't." Ruby said with a smile. "Because  _we're_  going to Saba."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo yea. Like? Hate? What?
> 
> Thanks or reading! I need sleep.
> 
> PS: Did anyone see significance in the chapter number & title?


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